Shrubs - Variegated Red Twig Dogwood Review

I live in the Midwest (zone 5) so when I was on the search for a shrub, I knew I wanted something that would also give me a little interest in the winter time.  Most of the trees and shrubs around my home are deciduous, meaning they lose their leaves during autumn.  There is always the option to get an evergreen, but we already had a few of those and I wanted something different.  One day, I noticed that a neighbor had a pretty hedge that did lose its leaves in the winter, but the remaining bark turned into a beautiful red color.  The red branches against the winter white backdrop were so lovely.  I had to get my hands on that shrub!

I ordered the Red Twig Dogwood from a mail order catalog and it arrived looking bland and uninspiring.  Once it was planted and fertilized (in a partially sunny area) it grew effortlessly.   When the leaves came, they were a variegated combination of cream and green.  Happily, the stems did turn bright red in the fall and stayed that way all through the winter. 

Variegated Red Twig Dogwood is suitable for partial shade to full sun, reaches a height of 5 to 8 feet, and is hardy in zones 3 to 8.   It requires no special care and I haven't had any problems with mine.