red twig Dogwood pruning & wildlife

[Jim]

Hi. I have recently bought several red & yellow twig dogwood shrubs,
Cornus scericea 'Baileyi' & 'Flaviramea'. My question is if I were to
prune it to the ground would I still get the berries to form? When
would I prune it? I am interested in the keeping the red coloring,
but equally as interested in the wildlife value the berries have.
Also, does anyone have any experience growing them in near shade
(between 2 houses, shunny only for 3 or 4 hours a day)? How do they do
compared to full or part sun?
Thanks!!

[Pam]

Jim wrote:

The best twig color comes from the newest growth, so I coppice mine each
spring. Unfortunately, they seldom bloom under this treatment. You can cut
back a portion of the plant each spring - that will renew some of the
growth and accentuate twig color and still allow some stems to mature
enough to flower and berry. Near (or partial) shade is their preferred
location - they should do fine in this situation and require less water
than a full sun position.

pam - gardengal