Drought Tolerant Shrubs With Variegated Leaves

Flowering

• As its name implies, a flowering shrub features flowers, which offers a contrast for coloring a garden. Some cultivars of the red twig dogwood have variegated leaves. One species, Cornus sericea, produces silvery-green leaves during the spring along with white flowers. Red twig dogwoods are drought tolerant once they reach maturity, says the University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture. The Rose Glow barberry shrub has maroon leaves with pink or red stripes. In the fall, this barberry cultivar features small yellow flowers that blossom on top of the maroon leaves. Rose Glow barberry is drought tolerant and prefers full sunlight for growth.

Deciduous

• Deciduous shrubs lose their foliage when temperatures decrease in the fall and winter. When spring arrives, though, deciduous shrubs with variegated leaves re-emerge with colorful vegetation. The old-fashioned weigala is native to China and Korea but is available in several cultivars throughout the United States. The Variegata cultivar features green leaves with cream edges. This drought-tolerant plant grows in full or partial sunlight. The dappled willow, a dwarf willow tree, produces pink and white foliage in April and May. Dappled willows are drought tolerant, growing in the United States Department of Agriculture's Hardiness Zones 4 and 5.

Evergreen

• As opposed to deciduous plants, evergreens maintain their foliage throughout the year, providing fall and winter interest for gardeners. The drought-tolerant Sherwood Frost arborvitae cultivar has green leaves with creamy or white tips and edges. Sherwood Frost shrubs grow between 6 to 12 feet tall and prefer full sunlight during their early years. Two cultivars of the winter daphne, Aureomarginata and Variegata, feature fleshy green leaves with yellow borders and tips. These short shrubs reach approximately 4 feet tall and require well-drained soils.

Deciduous and Evergreen

• Some shrub groups have deciduous and evergreen species. The type of foliage usually depends on the native environment of the species. Colder climates tend to grow deciduous leaves, while evergreen species are prominent in tropical climates of the Northern and Southern Hemispheres. The hydrangea group features the Lemon Daddy cultivar, a drought-tolerant deciduous shrub with yellow and green leaves. Other deciduous hydrangea cultivars are Quadricolor and Silver Variegated Mariesii, which have dark green leaves with silvery edges. The Aureo Variegata cultivar has evergreen green leaves with gold edges.