Cornus alba Aurea is a vigorous, suckering deciduous shrub that forms a broad rounded thicket about 5 to 8 feet high and wide. Soft golden-yellow to chartreuse leaves cover its upright red shoots, then develop yellow and red autumn tones before falling to expose vivid winter stems.
Small creamy-white flowers appear in flat clusters in late spring and may continue sparsely into summer. White fruit with a blue cast follows in midsummer and attracts birds. Grow the shrub in sun or partial shade in moist, well-drained soil; reliable moisture helps the foliage stay fresh, while sun strengthens the winter stem color.
Use it in an informal hedge, mixed border, wildlife garden, or massed on a bank. Renew the display in early spring by removing the oldest stems at ground level, or cutting the whole plant back every two to three years. Propagate with hardwood cuttings and remove unwanted suckers.
