Description
This Dogwood boasts distinctive stems that really stand out in a winter garden; once the leaves fall the dark red shoots are visible and over winter these darken and become purple-black in colour. Aside from the shoots, the leaves are of interest throughout the growing season and these are highly ornamental themselves: the leaves are ovate in shape and dark green in colour, but some leaves have a deep purple blush to them. Furthermore, small sprays of creamy white flowers appear in summer and these later become tiny people berries.
This hardy shrub works really well in a winter border, either on its own, in groups, or with other shrubs. In order to really make the colour of these stems stand out, we would recommend planting it alongside an accenting Cornus, like the ‘Midwinter Fire’, for a dramatic winter focal point.
Common Name: Black Stem Dogwood
Latin Name: Cornus alba ‘Kesselringii’
Special features: Dark red, then black, stems that create a striking winter focal point.
