i don't see why the answers would be any different between a tree and a shrub ...

but, of course, you may get a divergent opinion in a new post in a different forum ...

good luck

ken

Thanks Ken,
I did post a follow-up question to you on the Trees forum asking about my shrubs but hadn't heard back. I'm a new gardener and wasn't sure if I would treat both the same way. I wasn't second guessing your advice and am heading to the garden center this morning to get the recommended products.
Thank you.

Hi...Kerria is a shade shrub....don't plant it in full sun...at the most, only morning sun. It's most useful in very shady locations where it simply glows. It does sucker and when mature can reach 6' high and wider.....the double flowered Kerria reblooms intermittingly throughout the season. It's not a water hog (can take pretty dry) and it should be planted in a protected location as winds in winter will cause stem dieback. The stems remain green in winter if placed in a good location. If placed in full sun the flowers will not last long and will bleach out very quickly. Give it a shade spot.

Dogwoods are moderate water users I would say. Don't know which ones you ordered.

i have my 2 keria .. variegated and green .. in pure sand.. full blasting sun ... and i never water it.. and they live and multiply ...

but one thing for sure.. they cant wait until the birch grow up and give them some shade... they are stunted... and look ratty all year long .. but they live ...

the best i have seen i would call understory plants.. under the canopy of bigger trees.. almost full shade.. but very bright ...

ken

That's right, look and work the best if utilized as an understory shrub in a bright shade
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Oh! Thanks for the pictures! I had read they were good in sun in one of my books but now, thanks to you folks and some more research, I will put them in my one bright shady spot. It does get a.m sun but none by 11:00 or so. I hope to create a more shady bed in a few years but I think when they are small they will do well in my shady bed near the house. Hopefully they will do well and I can use them for cuttings in a few years.
Ego, how old are your plants?

3 to 4 years would be a fair guess.

I bought a Kerria 'Golden Guinea' earlier this year, and planted it on the west side of the house where it received only hot afternoon sun and lots of strong winds. It was withering away to nothing, so I moved it to a northeast location with shelter from the house on two sides. It is putting on a lot of new growth and is much happier with the protection and morning only sun.

Now the Red Twig Dogwood is the opposite. I had a couple at my last home, and they thrived in a full sun, southern exposure, while the folks across the street had the same shrub (planted by the builder in front of EVERY house) on the north side of their house, and theirs was leggy and sparse. Mine were like weeds. If I didn't prune them hard two or three times a year, they would get so tall I couldn't see out my front room window.

Good luck with your new purchases. The great thing about gardening is that plants will quickly let you know if they are not happy with their location, which gives us time to find them a happy home if we are observant.