Pruning Common Dogwood

Common dogwood requires minimal pruning if grown as a naturalistic shrub, but regular cutting keeps it compact and encourages the bright red winter stems for which it's valued. Prune in March, just before new growth begins, when you can see which stems are dead or damaged and the risk of hard frost has largely passed. For young plants in their first two or three years, remove only dead, damaged, or crossing branches to establish a balanced framework. Once mature, decide whether you want a large, informal shrub or a more controlled display of colourful stems. If you're after vivid winter colour, cut back around one-third of the oldest stems to within 5–10 cm of the ground each March. The youngest stems (one or two years old) have the brightest red bark, so this rotation keeps the display fresh. Use sharp bypass secateurs for stems up to pencil thickness and a pruning saw for anything thicker. If the shrub has become overgrown or leggy, you can renovate it by cutting the entire plant down to 15–20 cm above ground level in March. It will regenerate vigorously from the base. This hard pruning (coppicing) can be done every few years or annually if you want a compact, multi-stemmed thicket. Common dogwood flowers on the previous year's wood, so heavy annual pruning will reduce flowering and berries. If wildlife value matters more than stem colour, prune lightly or not at all, removing only dead wood and thinning congested growth every two to three years.