Variegated Tatarian dogwood is a cultivar of the Tatarian dogwood (Cornus alba). It is a large deciduous shrub with a distinctive variegated leaf pattern and has bright red stems during the winter. This cultivar is reportedly synonymous with a cultivar named 'Elegantissima’, but the preferred cultivar name has not yet been determined. The shrub prefers full sun to partial shade in moist, well-drained soil. It will tolerate a range of soil conditions. The bright blood-red color appears on the new stems. In the spring, the oldest stems should be removed to encourage new growth. The shrub suckers and forms large colonies. The shrub is multi-stemmed and erect with cane-like stems. It is a rapid grower and may reach 8 to 10 feet tall. It may be pruned to become a small tree. The leaves are grayish-green with creamy-colored margins. During the fall, the leaves usually become rosy red and gold. The small creamy white flowers appear in flat-topped clusters in late spring. Fruits appear in the summer and are white with bluish-green tinges. The bright red stems are very showy during the winter months. This plant is best used in groups or mass plantings. Naturalistic plantings in moist soils where plants are allowed to spread and form thickets will make for a low-maintenance landscape. Consider planting the variegated Tatarian dogwood along a property line as a screen. It may also be used as a hedge or shrub border. The bright red stem color adds interest to a winter landscape, and the variegated leaves will add interest during the summer. Quick ID Hints: Bright red stems during the winter Grayish-green, opposite leaves with creamy white margins Clusters of small creamy-white flowers bloom in the late spring White drupes with tinges of bluish-green ripen during the summer Fall foliage is shades of rosy red and gold Insects, Diseases, and Other Problems: Leaf miner and scale are less serious potential insect pests. It can also become vulnerable to borers. When stressed, the shrub is susceptible to a large number of disease problems. The most serious is dogwood anthracnose. Other diseases include powdery mildew, leaf spot, canker, root rot, and leaf & twig blight. This shrub is more vulnerable to diseases in hot summer climates. The Clemson Cooperative Extension Home & Garden Information Center has a factsheet on common pests and diseases. More information on Cornus alba .
Curated pairwise relationships between this plant and others in the library — who feeds
whom, who competes, who confuses the pests. Green reads as a good pairing, red as one to avoid.
No curated interactions recorded for this species yet.
Also noted by NC State
Related species the NC State Plant Toolbox flags for this plant — look-alikes to tell
apart, and plants that play a similar role in a planting. Ones we carry in the library are linked.
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day) | Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
Soil texture
Clay; High Organic Matter; Loam (Silt); Sand
Soil pH
Acid (<6.0); Neutral (6.0-8.0)
Soil drainage
Good Drainage | Moist
Available space
6-feet-12 feet
NC region
Mountains; Piedmont
Mature size
Height: 8 ft. 0 in. - 10 ft. 0 in. | Width: 5 ft. 0 in. - 10 ft. 0 in.
Growth rate
Rapid
Maintenance
Low
Canopy layer
3 - Shrub (3-15 ft)
Form & Appearance
Habit / form
Arching; Erect
Foliage
Deciduous
Leaf color
Cream/Tan; Gray/Silver; Green; Variegated
Leaf type
Simple
Leaf arrangement
Opposite
Leaf shape
Elliptical; Ovate
Leaf margin
Entire
Leaf value
Showy
Leaf size
3-6 inches long
Hairs present
No
Leaf detail
The leaves are grayish-green with creamy or white edges. They are simple, opposite, and have entire margins. They measure from 2 to 4.5 inches in length. The fall foliage are shades of red and gold
Fall color
Gold/Yellow; Red/Burgundy
Flower color
Gold/Yellow; White
Flower value
Showy
Flower form
Cyme
Flower shape
Cross
Flower size
< 1 inch
Flower detail
Small creamy-white flowers appear in flat-topped clusters in late spring.
Bloom time
Spring
Fruit color
Blue; Green; White
Fruit type
Drupe
Fruit value
Showy
Fruit size
< 1 inch long, < 1 inch wide
Fruit detail
The fruits are white drupes that have a bluish-green tinge that appears during the summer.
Stem color
Red/Burgundy
Stem detail
Grown for blood-red stems in the winter.
Wildlife & Ecology
Native status
Non-native
Origin
Central and Eastern Asia
Distribution
Species native: Central European Russia, China North Central, China Southeast, East European Russia, Inner Mongolia, Korea, Manchuria, Mongolia, North European Russia, and West Siberia; Introduced: Europe-Bulgaria; US-IL
Wildlife value
Flowers attract butterflies and pollinators. The fruits attract birds.