Plant spotlight: Cornus alba 'Sibirica', the red-barked dogwood
Shwmae, everyone!
When the leaves fall and the garden goes quiet, most shrubs fade into the background. Not this one. Our plant spotlight this week is Cornus alba 'Sibirica', the red-barked dogwood, and it saves its best show for winter.
Why we love it
Once its leaves drop in autumn, Cornus alba 'Sibirica' reveals bare stems in a bright, glowing red. On a frosty morning, or with low winter sun behind them, they really do look like they're on fire. In spring and summer you get variegated green leaves with a creamy white edge, then clusters of small flowers followed by berries.
It's a brilliant plant for wildlife too, bringing birds and butterflies into the garden. One thing to know: the berries are toxic to pets, so it's worth bearing in mind if you have a nibbler at home.
Where to grow it
This is a tough, frost hardy, deciduous shrub that grows well in full sun or part shade. It reaches up to around 2.5 metres tall and wide if left to its own devices. It looks great in borders and flower beds, and it makes a cracking informal hedge. Plant a few together and the winter colour is twice as striking.
Want a hedge? We also offer it as a five-plant hedging pack in 3 litre pots, as well as small, medium and large single plants. You'll find it alongside our other hedging plants.
How to get the best colour
The brightest red comes from young stems. Many gardeners cut some or all of the stems back hard in early spring, before the new leaves appear. Fresh new shoots then grow up, ready to colour up the following winter. If you'd rather keep some height, just take out a third of the oldest stems each year.
Planting now
Autumn is a great time to plant. The soil is still warm, so roots can settle in over winter. Dig a hole a little wider than the pot, mix in some peat-free compost, plant it at the same depth it was in its pot, and water well. A mulch around the base helps keep the roots snug.
Like all our plants, our dogwoods are grown peat-free and without pesticides at our nursery in Wenvoe. Pair it with evergreens such as Euonymus 'Green Spire' or holly for a winter border that never looks bare. For more ideas, have a look at our shrubs and trees.
Until next time, happy gardening!
Garden City Cymru