Cornus alba 'Elegantissima'

red-barked dogwood

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3 litre pot £16.99
available to order from summer
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Buy Cornus alba 'Elegantissima' red-barked dogwood: Vivid red stems in winter

This shrub is deciduous so it will lose all its leaves in autumn, then fresh new foliage appears again each spring.

  • Position: full sun to part shade
  • Soil: any moderately fertile soil
  • Rate of growth: fast-growing
  • Flowering period: May to June
  • Hardiness: fully hardy

    This deciduous shrub has pretty, grey-green leaves with white margins and produces small, creamy-white flowers in May and June. But it's really grown for the vivid red stems that are revealed when the leaves fall. This lovely dogwood looks stunning planted in groups in damp areas of the garden, beside water, or in a winter border. Best in full sun, it works particularly well with orange or purple-stemmed varieties of dogwood.

  • Garden care: In March cut the stems back hard to within 5-7cm (2-3in) from the ground and apply a generous 5-7cm (2-3in) mulch of well-rotted garden compost or horse manure around the base of the plant.

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Eventual height & spread

Eventual height and spread
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Variegation lightens a shady spot

5

The variegation really lightens up a shady area with leaves that are larger and airier than most other variegated shrubs. The red stems are a winter bonus and shine in winter light too

Katie-Rose

Hertfordshire

true

959

5.0 1

100.0

Screening plants that are wildlife friendly Hi, Hope you can help? I'm looking for some plants that will help screen the bottom of my garden from the neighbours,- it's not a large garden. I like plants that are great for birds, butterflies, bees, etc. but not too neat looking, and for any soil and weather condition. We have had Buddlejas, but fancy a change. Look forward to hearing from you. Kindest regards Wendy

Hello Wendy, There are several things that spring to mind - here are some of my favourites:- Rosa glauca http://www.crocus.co.uk/plants/_/shrubs/roses/shrub-rose/bush-rose/other-shrub-rose/rosa-glauca-/classid.2337/ Cornus alba Elegantissima http://www.crocus.co.uk/plants/_/shrubs/cornus-alba-elegantissima/classid.959/ Cotoneaster http://www.crocus.co.uk/plants/_/shrubs/cotoneaster-frigidus-cornubia/classid.1020/ Fuchsia Riccartonii http://www.crocus.co.uk/plants/_/shrubs/fuchsia-riccartonii/classid.3874/ I hope this gives you a few ideas. Helen Plant Doctor

Crocus Helpdesk

Creating a Winter Garden Dear Crocus I am wanting to create a " winter garden " area and fancy an Acer griseum as the central feature. I had thought of planting a Cornus Midwinter Fire and Bergenia 'Bressingham Ruby' to complement the scheme but I would welcome any other suggestions please. Many thanks Claire

CLAIRE LAWTON

Hello Claire, If you click on the following link it will take you to all our winter flowering plants. I would definitely recommend hellebores and snowdrops, perhaps some Cyclamen and and Euonymus fortunei for foliage colour. http://www.crocus.co.uk/plants/_/vid.204/ I hope this helps. Helen Plant Doctor

Crocus Helpdesk

Specimen Ceanothus or another large bushy shrub.... Good afternoon, When I was first looking for a Ceanothus to replace the one we have in our front garden, I looked on your website, but you only had small ones. Our once lovely Ceanothus has been pruned out of all recognition again this year, as I planted it a bit too near our boundary when it was a baby. I know it may come back, but it is getting ridiculous as every time it grows back it has to be cut back again severely and then ooks a mess for most of the year. Have you got a nice, tall, bushy Ceanothus to replace it? I love my Ceanothus but perhaps if you don't have a big one, do you have another large, flowering shrub as an alternative? Hope you can help Regards Margaret

D DRAKETT

Hello Margaret, it is rare to find larger sized Ceanothus as they are usually quite short-lived and don't normally live longer than 6 - 8 years. We do have a selection of larger shrubs on our site like Hamamelis, Hydrangeas, Magnolias, Acer, Cornus, Cotinus, Philadelphus, Syringa and Viburnum, so you may find something of interest. They will be listed in this section. http://www.crocus.co.uk/plants/ I hope this helps. Helen Plant Doctor

Crocus Helpdesk

Which plants are Deer proof? I want a list of Deer proof plants please. It`s either a change in habitat or environment, but I get total devastation now and in the last two years they come up the drive.

david

Deer can be a real problem and deer proof plants are usually thorny, poisonous or simply taste awful, but it is hard to give a definitive list as you might get the odd deer with unusual tastes which might like the bitter taste! Below is a list of good plants that generally are quite successful though. Cornus varieties, Rhus, Sophora, Solanum, Berberis, Rosemary, Buxus, Cotoneaster, Ilex, Pyracantha, Garrya, Juniperus, Nandina, Elaeagnus, Aralia, Aucuba, Cortaderia, Yucca, Santolina, Hypericum, Myrtle, Vinca, Achillea, Digitalis, Echinacea and Dryopteris. Finally, fencing is one method to protect garden crops from deer. Since deer jump, you need an 8-foot fence for best results or stout chicken-wire fencing securely around smaller garden plots. Alternatively, fence the area with a thorny shrub, preferably something that will grow to at least 6 feet. Deer eat roses and some thorns but hawthorn, boxwood and holly will exclude them. Deer are also deterred by dogs, hanging aluminum foil, mirrors, wood that hits objects in the wind and other noise-makers. Some old-fashioned repellents are human hair and blood and bonemeal. Hanging bars of fragrant deodorant soap from branches may work. Other well-known deer repellents are mothballs or moth flakes spread on the ground or put in mesh bags for hanging in a tree. Unfortunately though, no repellent is 100 percent effective, especially if the deer population is high and deer are starving.

Crocus

What can I plant that the deers won't eat? What types of plants do deer not like? If you could help me out I could greatly appreciate it.

Kelly L. Sliker

Deer can be a real problem and deer proof plants are usually thorny, poisonous or simply taste awful. It is hard to give a definitive list as you might get the odd deer with unusual taste which might like a bitter taste, but the following is a list of plants that generally are quite successful. Cornus varieties, Rhus, Sophora, Solanum, Berberis, Rosemary, Buxus, Cotoneaster, Ilex, Pyracantha, Garrya, Juniperus, Nandina, Eleagnus, Aralia, Aucuba, Cortaderia, Yucca, Santolina, Hypericum, Myrtle, Vinca, Achillea, Digitalis, Echinacea and Dryopteris. Finally fencing is one method to protect garden crops from deer. Since deer jump, you need an 8-foot fence for best results or stout chicken-wire fencing securely around smaller garden plots. Alternatively, fence the area with a thorny shrub, preferably something that will grow to at least 6 feet. Deer do eat roses and some other thorns but hawthorn, boxwood and holly tend to keep them out. Deer are also deterred by dogs, hanging aluminum foil, mirrors, wood that hits objects in the wind and other noise-makers. Some old-fashioned repellents are human hair and blood and bonemeal. Hanging bars of fragrant deodorant soap from branches may work. Other well-known deer repellents are mothballs or moth flakes spread on the ground or put in mesh bags for hanging in a tree. Unfortunately though, no repellent is 100 percent effective, especially if the deer population is high and deer are starving.

Crocus

Can I prune my dogwood now? I have a small Cornus florida that was planted in the Autumn. It is bushier than I would like as I want a tree rather than shrub. Its starting to bud now and I probably should have pruned it in the winter, but is it too late now?

Richard Stanaro

Ideally you should prune this Cornus in late winter or early spring. However you may still get away with it if you do it very soon. Just cut back the branches you don't want by pruning to an outward facing bud.

Crocus

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