Red Stemmed Shrubs

Redosier Dogwood

• The redosier dogwood (Cornus sericea or C. stolonifera) features red stems during the winter season. Some redosier dogwood cultivars with red stems are Cardinal and Isanti. This shrub grows between 7 to 10 feet tall and has a width of 8 to 10 feet. Redosier dogwoods grow in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 2 to 7. Late April and May are when redosier dogwoods produce creamy-white flowers. The shrub's leaves turn red or purple in the fall. When cultivating redosier dogwoods, plant these shrubs in full sunlight and moist soil.

Forage Kochia

• The perennial forage kochia (Kochia prostrata) grows in arid and semidesert regions in the American Southwest. Although the shrub's lower stems remain green throughout the year, a forage kochia's upper stems turn reddish brown in the winter after the shrub's seeds disperse. When mature, the forage kochia grows between 1 to 3 feet tall. Forage kochias are semievergreen, meaning the shrub's leaves are green for most of the year. The leaves usually wither in February but return in March and April. Forage kochias produce clusters of white flowers. These shrubs grow best in soil with high levels of alkalinity.

Saltcedar

• Native to Eurasia and Africa, saltcedars (Tamarix spp.) have reddish-brown trunks and younger branches or stems. This shrub was introduced to the American Southwest and Great Plains regions in the 20th century for soil erosion control. Adult saltcedars grow up to 20 feet tall. The saltcedar produces clusters of pink flowers, which grow on upright stalks near the shrub’s top. Saltcedar flowers usually appear in July or August. These shrubs have a high degree of cold hardiness and flourish in zones 2 to 7.

Holodiscus

• Also known as ocean-spray, holodiscus (Holodiscus spp.) consists of six shrub species with reddish stems and branches. These shrubs are deciduous losing their leaves in the fall. They reach heights of 20 feet when mature. Holodiscus shrubs grow at locations at 7,000 feet above sea level. The Pacific Coast from British Columbia to Southern California is this shrub's native range. At one time, Native Americans ate the berries from holodiscus shrubs and used its wood as arrow shafts.