Cornus Sgt. Pepper Dogwood
Best low-maintenance shrub for gardeners seeking year-round landscape color.
Discover the Cornus Sgt. Pepper™ Dogwood, a stunning multistemmed shrub offering year-round appeal. Its variegated leaves emerge with pink tinges, developing vibrant pink margins and deep red stems in fall. Enjoy delicate white spring flowers followed by white berries that attract songbirds. This award-winning variety boasts a broad, upright habit, perfect for mass plantings, hedges, or as a striking specimen. It's cold-hardy, drought-tolerant, and easy to care for, bringing dynamic color and texture to any landscape.
$24.95
Owner Satisfaction
4.6
/ 5
Category Rank
1072
/ 2693
#1072 in Plants
Price vs Category Average
-43%
Below average
SKU
29802
Who it's for
- Gardeners seeking year-round visual interest and vibrant foliage color
- Busy homeowners wanting low-maintenance plants with high disease resistance
- Landscapers designing for multi-seasonal beauty and dramatic autumn color
Who should skip it
- Gardeners with only full-sun planting locations available
- Impatient homeowners looking for rapid privacy or immediate landscape impact
- Hands-off gardeners who prefer plants requiring zero pruning maintenance
Performance breakdown
Seasonal Versatility
Provides visual interest across all four seasons with foliage and berries.
Landscape Adaptability
Thrives in diverse soil conditions and varying light exposure levels.
Maintenance Ease
A low-effort shrub that remains resilient with minimal ongoing care.
Wildlife Attraction
White berries serve as a reliable food source for local songbirds.
Hardiness Rating
Robust cold tolerance makes it suitable for a wide range of climates.
Design Utility
Broad habit works perfectly for hedges, borders, or standalone focal points.
Key Specs
SKU
29802
Genus
Cornus
Species
alba
Cultivar
'Verpaalen2'
Item Form
1-Quart
Hardiness Zones
3 - 7
Mature Height
6 Feet
Mature Width
8 Feet
Features
- Four-season interest with blooms, foliage, and stem color.
- Striking green, white, and pink variegated leaves.
- Attracts songbirds with white berries.
- Cold hardy and drought tolerant.
- Deer resistant.
- Easy to grow and maintain.
- Award-winning variety.
- Excellent for beds, borders, or hedges.
What customers say
Consumers consistently praise the exceptional visual appeal and quality of the Cornus Sgt. Pepper Dogwood. The striking, multicolored variegation is the standout feature, delivering a vibrant aesthetic that exceeds expectations for a landscape shrub. Reviewers frequently note the plant's robust health upon arrival and its reliable hardiness, suggesting high confidence in its long term performance and value as a premium garden investment.
Know before you buy
This shrub is prized for its deep red stems, which stand out beautifully against a winter landscape once the leaves have dropped. It offers year-round appeal, transitioning from spring blooms to colorful foliage and finally to striking winter bark.
Since this variety reaches a mature width of 8 feet, you should space them at least 6 to 7 feet apart if you want them to grow together into a dense, continuous hedge.
Yes, the Sgt. Pepper Dogwood is cold-hardy in zones 3 through 7. It is specifically bred to withstand harsh winters while maintaining its health and vigor.
While no plant is completely immune to hungry deer, this variety is generally avoided by them. It is a reliable choice for landscapes where deer pressure is a common concern.
Yes, this dogwood is quite versatile regarding moisture. It performs well in moist to wet soils, making it an excellent candidate for areas of the garden that don't drain as quickly as others.
It is considered easy to maintain and does not require heavy pruning. You can simply trim it occasionally to manage its size or shape, ideally in late winter or early spring before new growth begins.
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$25