Debi Holland shares her practical guide to pruning dogwood (Cornus alba) to keep those winter stems bright and full of colour, including when to prune, whether to coppice or selectively remove older stems, and how to encourage fresh, vibrant growth for the best display.
How to prune Cornus (Dogwood)
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Today I’m pruning red-stemmed dogwood, Cornus alba. Dogwoods are grown for their winter stems, but the colour fades as the wood ages. Pruning encourages fresh stems with the brightest colour. I prune in late March or by mid-April, after enjoying the winter display and before the shrub is in full leaf.
Choose how hard to prune. You can coppice an established shrub by cutting all the stems down close to the base. That sacrifices this year’s flowers and berries, but gives you a new set of colourful stems. I prefer to remove about a third of the oldest stems. That rejuvenates the shrub while leaving enough growth for leaves and flowers in summer.
Clear out problem stems. Remove dead, diseased or damaged wood, and thin out congested stems. Choose sharp, clean secateurs, loppers or a pruning saw to suit the thickness of each stem.
Make a new plant by layering. Dogwood stems can root where they touch the soil. Weigh down a low stem to encourage it to root, or look for one that has already rooted naturally. Once it has its own roots, cut it away from the parent plant and move your new dogwood.
