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shrub

Red twig dogwood 'Arctic Fire'

Cornus sericea 'Farrow'

Preview: plant data is awaiting horticulturist review. A professional horticulturist hasn't reviewed our plant table yet. Lists still follow fixed rules for zone, sun, pets, deer and invasive status.

Hardy in zones 3–7, Red twig dogwood 'Arctic Fire' is a deciduous shrub. Expect 3–4 ft of height and 3–4 ft of spread; our lists space it 3 ft apart. It does best in full sun to part shade with average water, and it copes with wet soil. Expect white flowers in May to June. In a FloraVista list it usually plays the structure role: a shrub that holds the bed's shape at the back all year. It is native to the Northeast, the Mid-Atlantic, the Midwest, the Great Plains, the Mountain West, the Pacific Northwest and California. Deer do eat it, and it is not listed as toxic to dogs or cats. Our rules leave it out of lists in the Southeast, Florida and the Gulf, Texas and the South-Central states and the Desert Southwest, where summer heat, humidity or mild winters hold it back even inside its zone range.

Facts from our plant table

Botanical name
Cornus sericea 'Farrow'
Plant type
Shrub, deciduous
Hardiness zones
3 to 7
Sun
Full sun (6+ hours); Part sun (4–6 hours); Part shade (2–4 hours)
Water
Medium; tolerates wet soil
Soil
Thrives in moist or wet soil.
Mature size
3–4 ft tall × 3–4 ft wide
Spacing
3 ft apart (centre to centre)
Growth rate
Medium
Bloom
May–Jun · white
Roles in a bed
Structure
Styles
natural, modern
Deer resistance
Low: deer eat it
Pets
Not listed as toxic to dogs or cats. Not on the ASPCA toxic list; no known toxic compounds.
Native to
Northeast, Mid-Atlantic, Midwest, Great Plains, Mountain West, Pacific Northwest and California
Pot size and price
3-gallon pot, typically $30–$45 (easy to find)
Plant in
Spring or Fall
First-year watering
Water deeply once or twice a week through the first summer, more in heat waves, so the root ball never dries out.
Pruning
Cut a third of the oldest stems to the ground each spring to keep winter stems red.

Sources: Missouri Botanical Garden Plant Finder; ASPCA toxic and non-toxic plant list; Rutgers NJAES deer resistance ratings (A-D); state noxious weed lists / Invasive Plant Atlas of the US; typical 2026 US garden-centre and big-box listings. Not yet reviewed by a horticulturist.

Guides that include this plant

Good companions

The plants our list engine most often puts in the same bed as Red twig dogwood 'Arctic Fire', across the sun, zone, pet, deer and style combinations it fits.

If you can't find it

Substitutes our engine offers for Red twig dogwood 'Arctic Fire': same role in the bed, passing the same rules.

How this page was made

This page was generated from this plant's record in FloraVista's plant table by fixed rules. The companions and substitutes come from the lists our rules engine composes. No named expert has reviewed this page.

Data status: the plant table is awaiting review by a horticulturist. Check each plant with a local nursery or extension office before you buy.

Sources

  • Missouri Botanical Garden Plant Finder, state extension services and the USDA PLANTS database (zones, size, sun, water, bloom, native range)
  • ASPCA toxic and non-toxic plant lists (dog and cat toxicity)
  • Rutgers NJAES and regional extension deer-resistance ratings
  • State noxious-weed and invasive-plant lists and the Invasive Plant Atlas of the US
  • Typical US garden-centre listings (pot size and price band)

Generated . How FloraVista chooses plants