The Good Gardener

Plant picker: winter interest
Acer griseum
Betula utilis var. jacquemontii
Cornus sanguinea ‘Winter Beauty’
Corylus avellana ‘Contorta’
Daphne bholua
Eranthus hyemalis (winter aconite)
Jasminum nudiflorum (winter jasmine)
Prunus serrula
Sarcococca humilis
Viburnum farreri

The first group contains clear-stemmed trees that are naturally small or slow growing, or have a distinct habit that limits their size. These include the Japanese maples (Acer palmatum), the flowering dogwoods (Cornus florida and C. kousa) and the weeping silver pear (Pyrus salicifolia ‘Pendula’), or the traditional conical or pyramidal shape of the garden conifers, such as Chamaecyparis pisifera ‘Filifera Aurea’.
The second group includes large tree-like shrubs that are commonly grown as small garden trees and are often grown with multi-stemmed trunks that originate from ground level. In many cases regular pruning is required to maintain these clear stems. This group includes the serviceberry (Amelanchier lamarckii), Chinese privet (Ligustrum lucidum) or the Chilean fire bush (Embothrium coccineum).