Brightening up the dreariest of winter days, this red-stemmed dogwood was originally cultivated at Westonbirt Arboretum in the 1830s.

This strong-growing, deciduous shrub has green leaves that turn red and orange in the autumn. After leaf fall, the red stems are revealed and form a long term feature from November to March. They look stunning after snowfall or a sharp frost and a few twigs brought inside at Christmas add natural festive colour.

To achieve the best coloured stems, coppice the shrub in March. This means being brutal and cutting the stems down to just above ground level. The shrub will soon send up new shoots as spring progresses and these young shoots are the brightest. If you can’t face being so brutal, reduce just a third of the stems. However, left unpruned, be aware that this shrub can grow to about 3m tall.

It makes a good specimen shrub, but is probably at its best when planted in a group with other dogwoods with coloured bark. Dogwoods thrive in moist, even waterlogged soil and like an open situation.