Plant Database
Variegated Tatarian Dogwood
Cornus alba ‘Elegantissima’
Cornus alba 'Elegantissima' (syn. 'Argenteomarginata') is a striking, multi-stemmed deciduous shrub prized for its brilliant red winter stems, variegated foliage, and compact, upright habit. This vigorous grower features oval, grayish-green leaves with broad, irregular, creamy-white margins that provide season-long interest. In late spring, small, flat-topped clusters of creamy-white flowers appear, attracting bees and butterflies. The flowers give way to small, white to blue-tinged berries in summer that are attractive to birds. In autumn, the foliage takes on pinkish to reddish-purple tones before dropping, revealing the shrub's most dramatic feature: the bare, bright coral-red stems that glow in the winter landscape. With excellent tolerance for moist soils, deer resistance, and its vibrant winter color, it is an outstanding choice for woodland gardens, shrub borders, mass plantings, and erosion control along streams and ponds.