To control the spread of the plant, trim the roots away regularly before they can sucker and spread. Because the best stem color occurs on young stems, trimming away about 25 percent of the old stems early each spring will stimulate new stems and good color. Or, you can cut the entire stem down to about eight inches above the ground every three years or so to rejuvenate it.
Light
Yellow-twig dogwood, like other types of dogwood, grows well in full sun to part shade. In warm climates, they may prefer shade.
Soil
The best soil is consistently moist and rich in organic material. Digging in compost will help poor soils.
Water
Water regularly to keep the soil moist. The plants need lots of moisture when young but will tolerate short periods of drought once established.
Temperature and Humidity
Dogwood likes fairly cool summer conditions and may develop diseases such as canker in warm climates near the southern extent of its hardiness range.
Fertilizer
Fertilize in spring with a granular fertilizer worked into the soil.
Propagating Yellow-Twig Dogwood
Like other dogwoods, yellow-twig dogwood can be propagated by seeds, but it is generally easier to do it by green stem cuttings. This process is not difficult, but it does take some time. Fall is generally the best time to take cuttings from dogwood.
Pruning
Thin out about 25 percent of the stems each year to keep stem color its best.
Common Pests and Diseases
C. sericea is often victimized by the dogwood sawfly, which can strip the plant of leaves. Sawflies can be treated with pesticides, or you can remove the larvae by hand. Plants can become stressed and vulnerable to canker and other diseases in hot and humid summer climates south of USDA Zone 7.
Uses in Landscaping
The widely spreading root systems of yellow-twig dogwoods make them good choices to plant on a bank, where erosion control is needed. But that same strong root system makes them poor choices as plants above septic tanks and drain fields. These shrubs serve as specimen plants in winter, when (outside of evergreen trees and shrubs) there is little plant color in the yard. Plant them where you can enjoy them. For example, try growing them within view from a kitchen window, from where you can see them pushing up through the snow. Use yellow-twig dogwoods in combination with red-twig dogwoods for an even more stunning winter display. With or without red-twig dogwoods, yellow-twig dogwoods look best when planted in a mass. They also look good when growing up against the wall of a building (a brick wall seems to suit them very well), especially if the winter sun strikes this wall in the late afternoon.
