#coloured stems

Plant of the Day

Wednesday 4 March 2026

Cornus alba 'Sibirica' (Siberian dogwood) provides a thicket of slender red stems whilst Cornus sericea 'Flaviramea' (golden-twig dogwood) produces greenish-yellow stems which are brightest in winter. Both these Cornus cultivars benefit from hard pruning as they regrow vigorously producing colourful new stems for a winter display. Prune just before bud burst in the early spring. The dark seed-heads are from the biennial Dipsacus fullonum (teasel).

Plant of the Day

Wednesday 22 January 2025

A fast-growing deciduous tree Salix alba var. vitellina 'Yelverton' (golden willow) is often coppiced (here on a 'leg' or stem) to be grown as a shrub. This results in plentiful new growth with striking reddish-orange and yellow-orange stems. These can produce an excellent octopus sculpture for a winter display and these stems will be pruned in the spring prior to bud burst before the new foliage is produced.

Plant of the Day

Sunday 19 January 2025

The cut stems of Cornus (dogwood) and Salix (willow) cultivars are used to make decorative containers for a winter display. The wavy stems of Salix matsudana ‘Tortuosa’ (dragon’s claw willow, Peking willow, wiggerly willow) make a dramatic arrangement and are surrounded by a planting of Acorus gramineus 'Variegatus' (variegated slender sweet flag).

Plant of the Day

Tuesday 21 January 2025

The new stems of Cornus sericea 'Cardinal' (red osier dogwood) create bright thickets of yellow to orange-red stems. This suckering, deciduous shrub also provides autumn colour and will grow in most soil conditions in sun or partial shade.

Plant of the Day

Monday 6 May 2024

This container provided a display all winter with cut stems of Salix (willow) and Cornus (dogwood) cultivars edged with the evergreen Carex 'Feather Falls' (sedge).

Plants of the Day Sunday 15 January 2017

Coloured stems of Cornus (dogwood) and Salix (willow) are being used as an installation running through this spring bedding display. The environmental artwork was providing interest in the depths of winter before the temporary planting comes into flower later in the spring.

Plant of the Day

Thursday 12 January 2017

Salix alba var. vitellina 'Yelverton' (willow) is a deciduous tree, that is often grown as a coppiced shrub for the striking stem colour. These yellow-orange stems were shining in the winter sunshine by this lake. It is an easy to grow vigorous plant that will take a location with sun or partial shade. It can be grown with a trunk and pollarded to result in colourful crown.

Plant of the Day

Friday 13 January 2017

The red stems of Cornus alba 'Minbat' (dogwood), a cultivar previously known as Cornus alba 'Baton Rouge', were brightening this border in winter. This deciduous shrub has good autumn colour as the leaves turn shades of orange and yellow. If left unpruned it will produce heads of white flowers in early summer. However, when grown for winter stem colour the shrub will need to be stooled (coppiced), that is cut back to near ground level to promote young stems which have the strongest colour.