Winter care: we are into the colder months. Protect newly planted or tender specimens from hard frosts, and hold off planting out until the frost risk has passed.
Cornus alba 'Kesselringii' is the black-stemmed dogwood, and the darkest winter stem colour you can plant. Young shoots emerge dark red and deepen through burgundy and purple to a polished blackish purple that reads as true black against frost, snow or low winter sun. The oval leaves open with a purple flush, settle to deep green through summer, then turn red and purple in autumn before dropping to reveal the stems.
Hardiness and seasons. Rated H7 by the RHS, hardy below -20C, it shrugs off the coldest UK winters. Small cream flowers in late spring are followed by white berries, with the autumn leaf colour and those near-black bare stems carrying the display right through winter.
In the garden. The black stems are striking against the glowing yellow of Cornus sericea 'Flaviramea' in a winter border, beside water, or anywhere low sun catches bare wood. In leaf it makes a solid backdrop for an exotic border, and it is tough enough for coastal and exposed gardens.
Live Arrival Guarantee
All plants are covered by our 7-day live arrival guarantee. We pack every order in protective, sustainable packaging designed to keep your plants safe in transit, and every plant is checked before it ships. On the rare occasion something is not right on arrival, we will make it good, provided the plant is still in its original nursery pot.
Ordering in autumn or winter? Many hardy exotics arrive dormant or cut back right now. This is normal, and the best time to plant.
Seasonal by nature: what to expect
Grown outdoors, the way nature intended. Weather-tested and hardened in real UK conditions, so they thrive in your garden. A few marks on the older leaves are normal, the sign of a tough, real plant rather than a flaw.
It follows the seasons. Depending on when you order, your plant may arrive cut back, dormant or leafless. That's healthy: dormancy is the ideal time to plant.
Posted, not posed. Big leafy plants like bananas and gingers may be trimmed or gently folded to travel safely. It does the plant no harm, and it powers away again in spring.
Not sure what to expect from yours? Dormant, cut-back or weather-marked plants are all perfectly healthy and normal.
Read what to expect through the seasons
Delivery and returns
See all delivery pricing tiers
Based on your basket total, confirmed at checkout. Free delivery: Economy over £60 · Standard over £100 · Express over £150.
Order by 1pm Monday to Friday for same day dispatch. Every plant travels in protective, plant-safe packaging with tracked delivery.
Outdoor plants are sold by the size of their pot — measured in litres, with the pot diameter in cm.
A larger pot means a more established plant for quicker impact in the garden; a smaller pot is better value and
soon catches up once planted out.
9cm · 0.5L
Young plant
A young, vigorous plant and the most economical way to build up a planting. Give it a season or two and it will romp away.
~13cm · 1L
Starter
A well-rooted young plant, ready to grow on in a border or container. Great value for filling space over a season or two.
~15cm · 2L
Established
A bushier, more established plant with a developed root system — a dependable middle ground that suits most gardens.
~17cm · 3L
Garden ready
A strong, garden-ready plant that establishes quickly and makes a visible difference in its very first season.
~19cm · 5L
Instant impact
A larger, fuller specimen for immediate presence — ideal when you want the planted look straight away.
21cm+ · 7.5L+
Specimen
A mature, substantial specimen — the quickest route to an established, fully planted-up feel.
Pots that fit this plant
We recommend
How to care for Black-stemmed Dogwood
Plant me in full sun and the coldest UK winters do not worry me.
In their words
What our customers say
EP
Emily P.
Arrived just like the photos - maybe even fuller. Healthy, well-acclimated, and straight into my collection with no issues.
JR
James R.
Flawless leaves, stunning variegation, and clearly cared for by experts. It’s already a talking point in my home office.
SL
Sophie L.
Hard to find rare plants that are pet-safe. Ours arrived in perfect condition and looks amazing without any worry.
Get to know me
About Black-stemmed Dogwood
Cornus alba 'Kesselringii' needs full sun or partial shade and moist but well-drained soil. It is very hardy, standing the coldest UK winters outdoors.
RHS H7, hardy below -20C, with no winter protection needed anywhere in the UK. See what to expect from outdoor plants through the seasons.
Position
Full sunPartial shadeSouth-facingWest-facingEast-facingExposedSheltered
Full sun or partial shade; the stem colour is strongest in sun. Tough enough for exposed and coastal sites.
Soil
ClayLoamSandMoist but well-drainedWell-drainedAcid pHNeutral pH
Any reasonable clay, loam or sandy soil, acid to neutral, moist but well-drained.
Watering
Water regularly through the first growing season, then only in prolonged dry spells; established plants are undemanding.Read moreShow less
Water regularly through the first growing season, then only in prolonged dry spells; established plants are undemanding.
Mature size
Height1.5 to 2.5m
Spread1.5 to 2.5m
Reaches full size in 5 to 10 years
Growth habit
Suckering
Flowering
JFMAMJJASOND
Late spring to early summer · Cream
Foliage
Deciduous
Pruning
RHS pruning group 7. For the best black stems, cut all stems back hard in late winter or early spring (February to March), once the plant has had a season or two to establish. Feed and mulch after pruning. Annual pruning gives the darkest wood; pruning every two years keeps more height.
Toxicity
Not known to be toxic to people or pets; the RHS lists no toxicity warning for this plant.
Native range
Eastern Europe to Korea (garden selection)
Family
Cornaceae
Also known as
Cornus alba 'Kesselringii'
Genus
Cornus
Good to know
Frequently Asked Questions
Are the stems really black?
Very close. The young shoots are dark red and deepen through purple to a blackish purple by winter, which reads as black in the garden, especially against frost, snow or pale planting.
When and how should I prune it for stem colour?
Cut the whole plant back hard in late winter or early spring, around February to March, following RHS pruning group 7. The young regrowth carries the strongest colour, so prune annually, or every other year if you want a larger shrub.
How hardy is it?
Fully hardy. The RHS rates it H7, hardy below -20C, so it stands the coldest UK winters without protection.
How big does it get?
Left unpruned, about 1.5 to 2.5m tall and wide within five to ten years. Pruned hard each spring for stem colour it stays nearer 1.2 to 1.5m.
What does it pair well with?
Plant it with the yellow stems of Cornus sericea 'Flaviramea' and other winter dogwoods for a full winter stem palette, or use it as a hardy backbone in an exotic border.
Is it safe around pets?
Cornus alba is not known to be toxic to people or pets and the RHS lists no warning for it. As with any garden plant, it is best not eaten.
Are your plants treated with pesticides?
We aim to avoid using pesticides where possible, but we can't control the whole supply chain.
If the plant is going into a vivarium, terrarium or aquarium with live animals, rinse the leaves and roots well, remove any soil and let the plant dry out before adding it. We'd also suggest keeping it away from animals for a month first.
Can I see a photo of the exact plant I'll receive?
We're not able to send photos of individual plants or let you choose a specific one, as plants are selected by our team when your order is packed. Our photos show the variety and the kind of plant you can expect, and yours may vary a little in height, shape or fullness.
If a size has a code next to it, such as 9cm / B2, you're buying the exact plant pictured.
Does my plant come with a pot?
Your plant will arrive in its nursery grow pot — the plastic pot it's been growing in. We don't include a decorative pot as standard, and there's a good reason for that: it means you get to choose one that fits your space and style, rather than being stuck with something that doesn't suit your home.
It also means you're not paying extra for a pot you might not want. The nursery pot is perfectly fine to keep your plant in for a while, just pop it inside a decorative cover pot or cache pot and you're good to go. When you're ready to repot (usually after a growing season or when roots start poking out the bottom), you can move it into something more permanent with fresh soil.
If you're not sure what size cover pot to go for, check the pot selector tool listed above, you'll want a decorative pot that's a centimetre or two wider than that to give it a comfortable fit.
How big will my plant be when it arrives?
Every plant on our site includes the pot size (e.g. 12cm) and, where possible, an approximate height. That's the most reliable way to set your expectations, photos can sometimes make a plant look larger or smaller than it really is.
If you're thinking "that sounds quite small for the price," here's something worth knowing: younger, smaller plants almost always adapt better to your home than larger ones. They adjust faster to your light and humidity, put out new growth more quickly, and tend to establish stronger root systems long-term. A plant that grows into your space will usually outperform one that was already big when it arrived.
That said, every plant is an individual. The one you receive may vary slightly in height, shape, or fullness compared to the photo, that's the nature of living things, not a quality issue. We select healthy, well-established specimens, and if you ever feel your plant doesn't match what you were expecting, just get in touch and we'll take a look.
What makes your plants different from the supermarket or garden centre?
There's a big difference between a plant that's been sitting under on a retail shelf and one that's been looked after and cared for by people who specialise in exactly this.
Our plants are grown in house or sourced from specialist nurseries, many of them varieties you simply won't find at your local garden centre or supermarket. Before anything leaves us, it's checked over by our horticultural team to make sure it's healthy, well-rooted, and ready to thrive in your home. We're not shifting volume off a pallet, we're choosing plants we'd want to keep ourselves.
When you buy from a supermarket, you get a plant and a generic care label. When you buy from us, you get the knowledge that comes with it, detailed care guidance, a team you can actually contact if something isn't going right, and the confidence that what's arriving has been looked after properly from the moment it was grown to the moment it reaches your door.
We're a specialist nursery first, not a retailer that happens to sell plants. That's the difference, and you'll see it the moment you open the box.
What should I do when my plant arrives?
First things first, unbox it as soon as you can. Plants don't love being in dark boxes any more than you would, and the sooner yours is out and breathing, the better.
Remove all the packaging carefully, give the soil a check with your finger, and water lightly if it feels dry. Then find it a spot with appropriate light, but avoid putting it straight into harsh direct sun or next to a radiator. Think of it like arriving somewhere new after a long journey: it needs a moment to adjust.
It's completely normal for your plant to look a little tired or droopy after transit. This is called transit stress, and most plants bounce back within a week or two. You might see a yellow leaf or some drooping, don't panic, and resist the urge to overwater or start repotting straight away.
Our advice for the first couple of weeks: leave it in its nursery pot, water it only when the top layer of soil feels dry, and let it acclimatise to your home's light, temperature, and humidity. Once it's settled in and showing signs of new growth, you can think about repotting or moving it to its permanent spot.
Every plant we sell comes with a care guide on the product page so you'll know exactly what it needs going forward. And if anything doesn't look right, get in touch with our team, we're always happy to help.
Will my plant survive being shipped?
Yes! and we go to serious lengths to make sure of it. Every plant is hand-packed by our team with protective wrapping and secure, custom-designed boxes to keep it stable and safe in transit. We've shipped hundreds of thousands of plants across the UK and our packaging methods have been refined over years to handle the bumps and jolts of delivery.
During colder months, we monitor weather forecasts and offer heat packs where needed to protect against frost. In extreme conditions, we may hold your order for a day or two rather than risk sending it out, we'd rather you wait an extra day than receive a stressed plant.
That said, plants are living things, and the occasional transit wobble can happen. If your plant arrives damaged or isn't in the condition you'd expect, just get in touch within 7 days with a photo, and we'll make it right, whether that's a replacement or a full refund. No fuss.
The short version: we treat every box like it's going to someone who really cares about what's inside, because it is.
Every order is hand-packed in eco-friendly, protective packaging - refined through thousands of deliveries to ensure your plant arrives healthy, hydrated, and looking its best.
Backed by our Live Arrival Guarantee.
Perfect for Gifting
From rare collector’s pieces to easy-care favourites, our plants arrive fully potted and ready to enjoy. Add a personalised note at checkout for a thoughtful finishing touch.
Delivered fresh, beautiful, and gift-ready.
Sustainability at Heart
All plants are ethically sourced from trusted growers, never wild-collected. Every order ships carbon-neutral in minimal-waste packaging.
19cm / 3L
