Variegated Dogwood Species

Red Stem Dogwood

• Red stem dogwood Cornus alba "Elegantissima" sports variegated green and white leaves from spring until fall, with white flowers from May into summer. White berries with hints of blue and green show their colors in June and July. When fall arrives, the variegated leaves transform into an array of colors, including apricot, gold and rosy-red. After fall, the stems turn bright red to provide winter interest. Elegantissima can be trained to maintain a height of 6 feet. Left unpruned, it can grow 10 feet tall by 10 feet wide.

Red Twig Dogwood

• Red twig dogwood Cornus "Argenteo-Marginata" has variegated gray-green and white leaves. While the flowers of Argenteo-Marginata are small, they are showy and fragrant. This shrub is hardy in USDA hardiness zones 2 through 8 and reaches a mature height of 10 feet by 10 feet. Red twig prefers a partial shade location and soil that's well-draining, moist, fertile and rich in humus.

Cherokee Daybreak

• Cherokee daybreak Cornus florida "Daybreak" changes in its variegation from summer to fall. In the summer, the leaves are variegated green and white with small white bracts (petal-like flowers). In fall, the leaves transform to a variegation of pink and red. Cherokee daybreak grows into a rounded oval shape and performs exceptionally well as a small ornamental tree to landscape patios, yards and front lawns, and is cold-hardy in zones 5 to 9.

Cherokee Sunset

• Cherokee sunset Cornus florida "Sunset" is a vivid rosy-red flowering dogwood with contrasting greenish-yellow and moss-green variegated leaves, often with additional pink highlights in the variegation. In the fall, the leaves turn to color reminiscent of a fine dark red wine. You can plant Cherokee sunset in a partial-shade location, but the coloration will be more attractive if it is planted in full to partial sun. Cherokee sunset is cold hardy in zones 5 to 8, and can tolerate a soil range from acidic to neutral to alkaline.

Welchii

• The Cornus florida "Welchii" has oval-shaped medium green and creamy white variegated leaves from spring through summer. In the fall, the leaves turn to a deep purple-red color. The bracts are ivory or rosy pink, making a handsome contrast against the variegated leaves when the shrub is in bloom. They form a spreading canopy that makes an elegant statement. While the tree is shade- tolerant, the variegation shows best in a partial-sun location. Welchii is hardy in zones 5 to 9.

Ivory Halo

• Ivory halo Cornus alba "Bailhalo" is another Tatarian dogwood variety. This shrub is native to China, Korea and Russia. In the United States, Ivory halo is cold hardy in zones 3 to 8. Its leaves are variegated with coloration of green and creamy white. Ivory-colored flowers bloom in late spring or early summer. Ivory halo is a good choice for a low-growing shrub, instead of a short tree, and can maintain a height and spread of only 3 to 5 feet. Ivory halo tolerates full or partial sun and partial shade.