I planted a plant sold to me as 'Midwinter Fire' that has the most carrying and brilliant salmon branches at the top. Google both name in and check the photos. I think I have one on my blog from back in Feb. or Jan. Even dealers mistake some plants, inadvertently.

No. There is very little to distinguish these plants from each other and there are ongoing discussions among cornus experts that they are all the same plant. There doesn't seem to be much dispute that 'Winter Flame', Winter Beauty', 'Magic Flame' and 'Anny's' are all the same plant with different cultivar names and the only distinction between these and 'Midwinter Fire' is the size and relative vigor of these selections, which is reputed to be inferior. The coloring of the stems is the same and in a sunny winter location against a darker background, they will all glow.

As with most of the colored stem dogwoods, they will lose color during the season and on oldest growth, so renewal pruning is suggested to encourage a fresh supply of new, more intensely colored growth.

thanks gardengal48 you confirmed some of my suspicions because I did google images and found some to be amazingly similar. So if I'm reading you right Midwinter Fire is the better? If so, I'll attempt to ensure that is what I get and avoid any of the other names (although of course there is no guarantee the nursery lables it correctly as I have found in the past). I will cut to the ground either 1/3 or coppice all the stems each year as I do my other dogwoods to ensure colourful stems (how I treat each one depends upon where they are in the garden). Thanks again

Sharon