This striking deciduous plant with its attractively striped bark, forms a bush or small tree. The young variegated leaves have lovely pink, white and green colour. The mature leaves are green or green and white. The bark on the young twigs is red, while the bark on the mature branches and trunk take on a snakeskin colour and texture. The combination makes the plant extremely decorative even in the winter. cut back long shoots in March to promote compact growth. Tolerates sun and dappled shade, also like sandy humus soil. If this isn’t available add some multipurpose to the planting hole.