Oakleaf hydrangea has both exfoliating bark and dried blooms. Fuzzy deutzia also provides a nice accent to a winter landscape. Other trees with interesting bark include the American beech, sycamore, cucumber magnolia, Yoshino cherry and the Chinese elm. The American beech has a beautiful white-gray bark, smooth in texture and a beautiful natural form. The sycamore has white bark on the upper portions of the tree and gray-brown to reddish exfoliating bark near the base.
Cucumber magnolia displays an attractive gray bark that becomes ridged as it matures.
It adds nice form and subtle color to any landscape. The bark of the Chinese elm is gray with mottled tan to orange blotches. The use of plants with interesting bark and form adds character to an otherwise dull landscape in winter. The proper choice of plants can offer an exciting landscape year-round.