Cornus alba 'Argenteo-marginata'
Common Name(s):
- Phonetic Spelling
- KOR-nus AL-ba
- Description
-
Variegated Tartarian Dogwood is a large shrub with beautiful variegated foliage. It can be pruned to become a small tree. Plant in well-drained soil in full sun to partial shade but tolerates a range of soil conditions. Upright and loose; arching with age; long unbranched stems; suckers to form large colonies.
Remove the oldest stems; the best color on new stems. Spreads via root, so root trimming may be necessary.
Best in groups or massed. Naturalistic plantings in moist soils where plants are allowed to spread and form thickets. Property line screens. Hedges. Shrub borders. Site shrubs as accents in areas where key ornamental feature, the stem color, can be appreciated.
Seasons of Interest:
Foliage: Fall Bloom: Spring Fruit: Fall, drupes Twigs: Winter
Wildlife Value: Fruits are attractive to birds and plants provide nesting sites. Members of the genus Cornus support the following specialized bees: Andrena (Gonandrena) fragilis, Andrena (Gonandrena) integra, and Andrena (Gonandrena) platyparia.
Insects, Diseases and Other Problems: Leaf miner and scale are less serious potential insect pests. It does not like the heat. When stressed, is susceptible to a large number of disease problems, most serious is dogwood anthracnose. Other diseases include powdery mildew, leaf spot, canker, root rot, and leaf & twig blight. It can also become vulnerable to borers.
- See this plant in the following landscape:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
-
- Tags:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
-
- Tags:
-
-
Attributes:
- Genus:
- Cornus
- Species:
- alba
- Family:
- Cornaceae
- Life Cycle:
- Woody
- Country Or Region Of Origin:
- Eastern and Central Asia
- Distribution:
- Zones 3-7 across the United States
- Wildlife Value:
- Flowers attract butterflies and pollinators, fruit attracts birds
- Play Value:
- Attractive Flowers
- Attracts Pollinators
- Screening
- Wildlife Cover/Habitat
- Wildlife Food Source
- Wildlife Nesting
- Particularly Resistant To (Insects/Diseases/Other Problems):
- rabbit, deer, erosion
- Dimensions:
- Height: 8 ft. 0 in. - 10 ft. 0 in.
- Width: 5 ft. 0 in. - 10 ft. 0 in.
-
-
Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Shrub
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Deciduous
- Habit/Form:
- Arching
- Erect
- Growth Rate:
- Slow
- Maintenance:
- Low
-
-
Cultural Conditions:
- Light:
- 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 To Plant:
- 6-feet-12 feet
- NC Region:
- Mountains
- Piedmont
- USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
- 3a, 3b, 4b, 4a, 5a, 5b, 6a, 6b, 7b, 7a
-
-
Fruit:
- Fruit Color:
- Blue
- White
- Fruit Value To Gardener:
- Showy
- Display/Harvest Time:
- Fall
- Summer
- Fruit Type:
- Drupe
- Fruit Length:
- < 1 inch
- Fruit Width:
- < 1 inch
- Fruit Description:
- White to bluish drupe in summer
-
-
Flowers:
- Flower Color:
- Gold/Yellow
- White
- Flower Inflorescence:
- Cyme
- Flower Value To Gardener:
- Showy
- Flower Bloom Time:
- Spring
- Flower Shape:
- Cross
- Flower Petals:
- 4-5 petals/rays
- Bracts
- Flower Size:
- 1-3 inches
- Flower Description:
- Modestly showy, yellowish-white flowers with 4 bracts in spring.
-
-
Leaves:
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Deciduous
- Leaf Color:
- Gold/Yellow
- Green
- Variegated
- Leaf Value To Gardener:
- Showy
- Deciduous Leaf Fall Color:
- Purple/Lavender
- Red/Burgundy
- Leaf Type:
- Simple
- Leaf Arrangement:
- Opposite
- Leaf Shape:
- Ovate
- Leaf Margin:
- Entire
- Hairs Present:
- No
- Leaf Length:
- 3-6 inches
- Leaf Description:
- simple, dark green leaves with creamy margins; 2-4.5 in. long; reddish-purple fall color
-
-
Stem:
- Stem Color:
- Red/Burgundy
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- No
- Stem Description:
- Grown for blood-red stems in winter
-
-
Landscape:
- Landscape Location:
- Naturalized Area
- Near Septic
- Slope/Bank
- Small Space
- Woodland
- Landscape Theme:
- Butterfly Garden
- Pollinator Garden
- Winter Garden
- Design Feature:
- Accent
- Border
- Flowering Tree
- Foundation Planting
- Hedge
- Mass Planting
- Screen/Privacy
- Small groups
- Small Tree
- Attracts:
- Pollinators
- Songbirds
- Specialized Bees
- Resistance To Challenges:
- Deer
- Erosion
- Rabbits
- Problems:
- Weedy
