Sorry, can't oblige.

Another one bites the dust. :-(((((((

Why can't you accommodate it? Soil? Space?

It fails, first of all, because it has no wildlife friendly attributes, in UK. That is non-negotiable.

Also it is non-native, but this is an attribute that is open to negotiation, if most/all of my nitt picking requirements are in its favour.

So looks, size, foliage - Yes but wildlife friendly - No. So out it goes.

I can be extremely fussy when looking for "the right one".

" It fails, first of all, because it has no wildlife friendly attributes, "

I'm not sure one can make such a claim with such resolution :-) It DOES have wildlife attributes that are served just as well in the UK as anywhere else this tree may grow. Its flowers are visited by bees, butterflies and other pollinators and the drupes/berries are popular with song birds. Even the RHS confirms this. How much more of a wildlife attraction do you need?

GG

When I first arrived at a provisional ID, I did a quick check on-line. One site, Gardenia, did state "attracts birds", another Gardeners World stated " Cornus ‘Variegata’ has no particular known value to wildlife in the UK". All others, including RHS, said nothing about this plant and wildlife. Burncoose Nursery, my local goto for not run-of-the-mill plants, which generally states wildlife status does not mention wildlife for this plant.

Hence my decision to negate this one.

But the fact is, if you don't want non natives you will have a very dull garden. We just don't have many native species. And any tree will provide shelter for wildlife. I think Gardeners' World is just plain wrong. Unless they mean by 'no particular known value' that it isn't the primary food plant for a specific species.

We have native Cornus species and there are certainly creatures which eat them. I doubt they're that fussy.

My main question mark over the tree would be the probable sensitivity to salt laden winds which I guess you'll get in your garden. The leaves are soft and thin, so I think it would tatter and brown easily.

I agree, floral, re UK's paucity of plant species. I have numerous non-natives, eg Hedychiums, Prostanthera, Kalmia amongst others, but all selected for their wildlife attraction.

As I said, non-native is negotiable.

GG. When I am looking for a plant, be it shrubby, herbaceous, etc I will always check for their wildlife qualities, especially plants I do not know. Provided they are indicated as being wildlife friendly, then they go on my "further checking" pile. If there is little or no indication as to their having a positive wildlife status, then they go on the "forget" pile.

I only have a smallish garden, and everything I have planted, came out of the "further checking" pile. I don't have room for "free loaders" :-))))))) Just because a plant looks nice and/or pretty, does not rock my boat.

There are members of the forum, including yourself, gg, floral, Jay and others with lorry loads more experience and knowledge than me. So if I need data, I look on-line. If no positive info is forthcoming, then I take that as a negative attribute.

Just an FYI but the kalmia or hedychium are no more attractive to wildlife than the Cornus is. One needs to be cautious about online information.........different websites often present conflicting information or omit it entirely. I can most certainly assure you that the dogwood WILL attract wildlife!! Do not choose to eliminate it from your list based on that premise as it is not valid.

Without a comprehensive botanical/horticultural library, experience or knowledge, I use the next best thing I have available, ie the www.

Provided multiple sites point in the same sort of direction or no common direction, then I base my initial decisions on that.

But then there are fora, such as NTP, which supply further layers of information, which I can use to augment the data I already have accessed.

What has come out of this thread is that C. controversa 'Variegata' can be moved from the "forget" pile, to the "further checking" pile.

Thanks guys.

Here is another that might prove interesting to you. This site includes wildlife value https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/salix-integra-hakuro-nishiki/

Thanks, peren.all, but I don't grow cats. :-))))))

Tried a second time and the cat vanished and the correct page magically appeared.

You have to love the WWW.

Wildlife benefit or not, CCV is not an easy plant to grow. I gave up after two attempts. I visited a wonderful garden in UK and complemented the owner on his CCV. He said it was his fourth attempt.