This shrub is deciduous so it will lose all its leaves in autumn, then fresh new foliage appears again each spring.

• Position: partial shade
• Soil: fertile, reliably moist , slightly acidic soil
• Rate of growth: average
• Flowering period: July to September
• Hardiness: frost hardy (may need protection in winter)
  
  Noted for its slender somewhat pendent spires of fragrant, greenish white flowers, which form on the arching branches throughout summer, this shade-tolerant deciduous shrub also puts on a good display in autumn when the lustrous green leaves turn a rich shade of burgundy before they drop. A great addition to the woodland garden or shadier sections of the shrub border, it flourishes where there is reliable moisture, so can also be sited near a pond or stream.
  
  
• Garden care: Protect from cold, drying winds and apply a generous layer of mulch around young plants in autumn. Trim back to tidy in the spring and provide support for wall-trained plants.