A Gardeners Forum Forums Gardening Reference Gardening in 2007 found a corker!

i went to a nursery today to get some tree guards, and a came across a red barked dogwood.
Cornus alba 'sibrica variegata'
first time ive ever seen it

A vigorous shrub with red winter shoots. grey green leaves margined white,turn red in autumn.
white flowers are followed by white berries, often tinged blue.
flowers from april to june. fruits from july.
height 3m spread 3m
so it ticks all the boxes, all year interest.
does anyone grow this?
and is it as good as it looks?

variegated siberian dogwood

I've tried to propagate cuttings of the regular kind of red twig dogwoods from my dad's because I love their look in winter but they've never rooted for me (I'll keep trying) and looks like they don't grow from seed (dangit). Local businesses also grow the regular red twig dogwoods in parking lot strips and they do add that winter interest. Their summer look is uninspiring.

However, the variegated foliage looks *really* attractive from the pictures on the site above (yay for truly year-round interest!), which also says it's hardy to USDA zone 3, -39.9C (bonus!).

Depending on the price they're asking and the warranty they offer, I'd be buying.

Best wishes.

shame you havent been able to propagate them, keep at it
the 2 i got are planted on an island in the middle of a lake now!
so i wont be getting cuttings or seed

lol, sometimes I just have to be satisfied that other people have stuff growing, and move on with my life.

I hope you will have pictures up of yours, both in leaf and after the leaves drop (why am I such a sucker for red sticks? lol)... I'll bet they look just great!

cheat! buy yourself one
its gonna be hard getting the pictures now, will need the inflateable to get out there!
unless i get another
them red sticks looked WOW this afternoon in the sun though!!!

Okay, now you're just being cruel.... lol, I'll be they were though.

I found two sources online in the US for these brilliant beauties - one was $42.00 plus shipping and up (erm, out of my price range - yes, I am cheap), and the other was $17 including shipping for a twig - and I have a miserable history with growing twigs...

All the other sources were European (you lucky things!), and although I would truly love to visit Europe, I'm afraid Spouse would not accept "I just want to pick up a variegated red twig dogwood or two for the front yard" as an excuse at this time, even if it would mean less lawn for him to mow in the summer...

So, Mark, for my red stick pix fix I can wait for you and the inflatable... it's pretty much winter here, I'm not going anywhere....

:-)

$42,00 i thought the ones i got were expensive!
£6,99 each sounds like a bargain now
i will see what i can do with the red stiks pic fix, but wont that be teasing

lol, I guess we'll find out if the pics will satisfy my heart or make me covet this plant worse... another grand experiment!

Just been out and got one for myself today
only took me 3 months

Got one what for yourself; a red stick for home, or a picture? If a picture aren't you going to share?!

just the red sticks

wow, they are common in eastern US. there is a 'red twig' & a 'yellow twig' dogwood shrub. we often used them mixed together for winter interest.

Ive not seen yellow yet!
best i get looking