Red Osier Dogwood Survives Snowtober

The red osier dogwood had gone missing since the rare October snow,Snowtober.It was buried underneath the snow-downed limbs and branches of an Asian pear.Surely it was gone for good,a native planting that had been adapting so very well.
Just the other day,however,a characteristic red twig was spotted in the strengthening late January sun,barely lifting off the ground and emerging from the mass of leaves and dead timber from Snowtober.With careful effort,it was gently extricated from its choking tangle of storm debris with gloved hands and pruning shears.The young shrub was in excellent condition,saved by its flexibility.Indeed,it wasn't damaged at all.Such is the resilience of a native species.
The red osier dogwood,cornus sericea,grows from Alaska east to Newfoundland,and south to West Virginia and California.It is a prized ornamental for its white flowers and fruit,as well as its red twigs in winter.The shrub is well-suited to grow in wetland areas along rivers and streams.Birds eat the white berries,which native Americans also consumed.