Cornus sanguinea 'Midwinter Fire'

Planting Your Dogwood
Choose a position in full sun or partial shade. Dig a hole around twice the width of the root ball and roughly the same depth, position the plant at the same level it was growing in its pot, then backfill with soil, gently firm and water thoroughly.

Soil & Position
Cornus ‘Midwinter Fire’ grows well in a wide range of soils, but does best in soil that retains some moisture without becoming permanently waterlogged. Full sun will help bring out the strongest winter stem colour, although plants will also grow well in partial shade.

Watering
Water regularly after planting and during dry spells while your dogwood establishes. Once established it will need less attention, although watering during prolonged hot, dry weather will help keep it growing strongly.

Feeding & Mulching
Apply a mulch of well-rotted garden compost or manure around the base in spring. This helps retain soil moisture, suppress weeds and provides good growing conditions for the vigorous young stems that produce the best winter colour.

Make the Most of the Winter Stems
Plant ‘Midwinter Fire’ somewhere its colourful bare stems can be enjoyed throughout winter. A position visible from the house, patio or a frequently used path means you'll get the most from its display when the rest of the garden is quieter.

Borders & Winter Gardens
Its yellow, orange and red stems make this dogwood particularly valuable in mixed borders and winter planting schemes. Position it towards the middle or back of a border, where lower-growing plants can fill the space around its base.

Plant in Groups
A single plant makes an attractive specimen, but several planted together create a much stronger sweep of winter colour. Give plants enough room to develop rather than crowding them too closely.

Wildlife Gardens
Small creamy-white flowers appear in early summer and provide a food source for pollinating insects, adding another reason to include this colourful shrub in wildlife-friendly planting schemes.

Pruning for Colourful Stems
The brightest winter colour develops on young stems, so regular pruning encourages plenty of fresh yellow, orange and red growth for the following winter.

When to Prune
Give newly planted dogwoods time to establish. Once established, prune in early spring, around March, before the new season's growth gets underway.

How to Prune
For a strong display of colourful young stems, cut established growth back hard to around 5–7cm above ground level, cutting just above healthy buds. This can be done every couple of years to encourage vigorous new shoots while helping to keep the shrub compact.

After Pruning
Apply a generous mulch of well-rotted garden compost or manure around the base after pruning. Keep the plant adequately watered during prolonged dry spells while its new stems are developing.

Flowers or Brighter Stems?
Hard pruning encourages the colourful young stems this dogwood is grown for, but it also removes the older wood that would produce flowers. If you'd like to retain some summer flowers, avoid cutting every stem back hard at the same time.

Make Those Stems Stand Out
Pair ‘Midwinter Fire’ with dark evergreens such as yew, holly or evergreen pittosporum. Their deep green foliage provides a strong backdrop that makes the fiery bare stems stand out in winter.

Add White Bark
Plant alongside white-stemmed birches for a classic winter combination. The pale trunks contrast beautifully with the yellow, orange and red Cornus stems.

Colour at Ground Level
Underplant with snowdrops, winter aconites, hellebores and early narcissus to carry the colour down to ground level while the Cornus stems provide height above them.

Keep the Display Going
Combine with spring bulbs, summer-flowering perennials and ornamental grasses so the border has something interesting to offer long after the Cornus has leafed up and its winter stems are less prominent.

9cm Potted Plant
You will receive your Cornus ‘Midwinter Fire’ as an established young plant in a 9cm nursery pot, ready to plant straight out into its final position.

What to Expect Through the Seasons
If you order your plant during autumn or winter, it may arrive with yellowing leaves or no leaves at all. This is completely normal for a deciduous shrub and simply reflects its natural seasonal cycle. Your plant is healthy and ready to plant, with fresh new growth appearing in spring.