An arching, deciduous shrub with strong autumn colour. Position: full sun or partial shade Soil: moist but well drained soil Rate of growth: average Flowering period: July to September Hardiness: fully hardy Densely forming, arching stems bearing sharply 3-lobed mid-green leaves which turn warm, bright yellow, orange or purple in autumn. Stephanandra tanakae is a medium sized shrub native to the hills and mountainsides of Japan with greenish cream flowers produced in panicles in summer. Add to this attractive orange-brown stems through the winter and you have a beautiful, hardy and elegant plant for multi-season interest and useful for screening an area or for impressive mass plantings. Garden care: Improve the soil before planting by adding plenty of well-rotted manure or garden compost, and adding mycorrhizal fungi (Root grow) to aid establishment. Pruning is usually unnecessary but can be done after flowering by cutting back the remaining flowered stems to different levels to encourage flowering shoots at different heights. Remove any suckering stems during the winter. Apply a 5-7cm (2-3in) mulch around the base of the plant.