Cornus alba siberica
Siberian Dogwood, Tartarian Dogwood
2-7  
Siberia to Manchuria and Northern Korea

This is a broad round-topped shrub that does not sucker and spread as rapidly as the native Red Osier Dogwood (C. stolonifera).
6-10 feet
White flowers in fiat-topped cymes cover the plant
May-June
Opposite, simple, ovate to elliptic, 2 to 4 1/2’ long, 1/2 as wide, acute to acuminate, usually rounded at base, entire, rugose, and often somewhat bullate above and dark green, glaucous beneath, with 5 to 6 pairs of veins; petiole 1/3 to 1” long.
Turns reddish in autumn
 
Twigs are bright coral-red
White fruit is showy for a few weeks in the late summer.
 
The most winter-hardy dogwood for landscaping
  • ‘Argenteo-marginata’ (‘Elegantissima’) - Leaves with an irregular creamy-white margin, the center a subdued grayish green; winter stems red; often listed as C. elegantissima thus relegating it to species status which is incorrect; this is a rather pretty form and if used correctly adds a nice color touch to gardens, especially in shady areas.
     

  • ‘Aurea’- Leaves are suffused with soft yellow.
     

  • ‘Gouchaultii’- Leaf margin is yellow and rose, the center of the leaf green and rose; becoming partly white on the margin.
     

  • ‘Kesselringii’-The stems turn dark brownish purple in winter; grows 6 to 9’; not overwhelming.
     

  • ‘Sibirica’-The stems are bright coral-red and the fruit is a bluish color.
     

  • ‘Spaethii’-The foliage is strongly bordered with yellow; less vigorous than ‘Gouchaultii’.

Often confused with C. sericea which has shoots and lower leaf surface which is wooly. Often, all three of the red stemmed dogwoods, C. alba, C. baileyi and C. sericea are sold as "red twig dogwood" in the nursery trade. It is very difficult to distinguish among the three species.

 

 
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