Is this silky dogwood/red osier?

[david w.]

i was searching a swamp like place and i found these plants. looks like God put them here for arrows.   Its got gray bark with these little whiteish spots.

my description is pretty bad so if you need it i will post pics

[Hillbilly]

Post some pics if you can. Sounds like it could be dogwood, if not, it might be something else just as good or better.

[DanaM]

red osier is hard to miss as the bark is red on the younger stalks. David by now you should know to post pics 

[david w.]

i did see some little red shoots

just a minute Dana pics are soon to come

[richpierce]

Red osier is just shoots, not a tree- a clump of shoots all starting right at the ground and they are red for the upper 2/3 at least.  Other dogwoods are like a tree or bush with a main trunk and branches coming off that.  Rememebr on dogwood the branches and leaves are all "opposite" nopt alternate- so if a branch comes off one side of the trunk, there will be another exactly opposite it.  All dogwoods are good for arrows.

[Pat B]

Rich, Not all dogwoods have opposite leaves. Cornus alternifolia,(Pagoda dogwood) has alternate leaves as its name specifies. I believe that all the other dogwoods have opposite leaves. Red Osier is a shrub type dogwood like Rich said. There are tree and shrub types and all are suitable for making arrows if the shoots are long enough and of good diameter.
   David, pics of the plants will help to ID what you have found. Leaves(not out yet) will be a better help with IDing them. Most dogwood leaves are similar but the actual flowers(not the bracts around the flowers) will give you a better ID of dogwood...and other plants.There are many shoots out there that will make arrows. I cut some willow not long ago to give it a try. I have noticed that its diameter will be bigger than most of the other shoots I have used and the shafts will be a bit lighter. If serviceable arrows can be made from horse weed, dog fennel and goldenrod then practically any wood shoots will make serviceable arrows.    Pat

[david w.]

ok my camera was acting up and they will be on late tonite or tomorrow

the are tough and will make good arrows


i noticed it has a strong scent when i scrape them.  I know tree of heaven has a scent but it is not that


it gorws in a shrub. i noticed that it has one big branch and then smaller ones growing next to it or from it

[DanaM]

Red Osier has a pecular odor not unpleasant but different.

[Pat B]

David, It could be spice bush(Lindera benzoin). It is a shrub that grows in wet areas, has some straight shoots and has a spicy smell when you scrape the bark. The leaves alternate on the stem. I believe pics will be our best bet.     Pat

[david w.]

well camera is out of batteries but out of those it sounds like spice bush

[Pat B]

David, If it is spice bush, it should start to bloom fairly soon with greenish yellow flowers before the leaves come out and will have red fruit after the leaves fall off. Red osier will produce its flowers after the leaves come out and the fruit, clusters of purple-black berries, will ripen in August or September, before the leaves fall off.

   We'll make a horticulturist out of you before you know it.      Pat