Red Osier Dogwood vs American Bittersweet - TreeTime.ca

Red Osier Dogwood vs American Bittersweet

Cornus sericea

Celastrus scandens

COMING SOON

(new stock expected: fall of 2026)

NOT AVAILABLE THIS SEASON - MIGHT RETURN

Red Osier Dogwood
American Bittersweet

Red Osier Dogwood is a small deciduous shrub that features deep red stems and twigs year-round, with creamy white flowers in the spring. This shrub will add a nice pop of color to your yard.

Red Osier Dogwood is an excellent soil stabilizer. It is fast growing and becomes drought tolerant once well established.

American Bittersweet is a deciduous, woody, perennial vine with striking orange to yellow berries that persist into winter. Indigenous to North America, this vine has become so rare it is now considered a protected species.

Excellent for naturalization projects, American Bittersweet attracts birds and other wildlife. Please keep in mind that the plant is toxic to humans and should not be ingested. To ensure the attractive berries are produced, cross-pollination between a male and female plant must occur.

Red Osier Dogwood Quick Facts

American Bittersweet Quick Facts

Zone: 2a
Zone: 3a
Height: 2.7 m (9 ft)
Height: 6 m (20 ft)
Spread: 1.8 m (6 ft)
Spread: 1.8 m (6 ft)
Light: partial shade, full sun
Light: full sun
Moisture: normal, wet
Moisture: normal
Growth rate: fast
Growth rate: medium
Life span: medium
Life span: medium
Suckering: medium
Suckering: medium


Toxicity: All parts of plant are toxic to humans
Fall colour: dark red
Bark: dark red, showy
Flowers: white
Flowers: small white clusters
Berries: white waxy
Berries: red-orange, toxic to mammals
Hybrid: no
Hybrid: no
Catkins: no
Catkins: no

In row spacing: 0.9 m (3 ft)

Between row spacing: 5 m (16 ft)
Native to: AB, BC, SK, MB, ON, QC, NS, NB, NL, YT, NT, NU, PE
Native to: SK, MB, ON, QC, NB
Other Names: american dogwood, california dogwood, creek dogwood, dogberry tree, red dogwood, red twig dogwood, redosier dogwood, redstem dogwood, western dogwood