Cornus alba ‘Elegantissima’ is a low maintenance deciduous shrub with an upright, bushy habit. In the summer, its foliage flaunts a fresh, bright green with cream-coloured variegation on the outside of the leaves - come autumn, they turn a gorgeous variety of orange and red hues before dropping. After shedding the leaves, it’ll reveal striking red-coloured branches for an attractive winter appearance. From May to June, you can expect to see the plant grow small, creamy-white flowers, then white berries that will attract hungry birds. With its distinctive, scarlet-coloured stems, this shrub remains a beautiful and constantly changing fixture of your garden all 12 months of the year. Please Note: When purchasing plants please consider that each live item is unique and may therefore differ from the images shown, which are for illustration purposes only - The plant will be supplied in a growers pot. Depending on season, some plants may be pruned back to encourage growth and deciduous plants may arrive without leaves. Latin name: Cornus alba 'Elegantissima' Common name: Red-barked dogwood Supplied in 9cm pot Characteristics: Vigorous upright shrub, green foliage, cream variegation, deciduous, bushy habit, small white flowers and berries, attracts bees and birds, bright red stems, low maintenance, suckering Plant advice: Your Cornus alba is fully hardy, very resilient and will tolerate any moderately fertile soil composed of clay, chalk or sand. It’ll thrive in a space that benefits from full sun or partial shade. We recommend that you cut the stems back hard every March, in order to maintain the size desired, encourage new growths and remove any sickly, broken or otherwise unwanted branches. Its ultimate height can reach 3 meters, and the spread can span as much as 4 meters.