Kousa Dogwood (Cornus kousa)
Identifying Features
Plant Family: Cornaceae
Native Range: Northeastern Asia
Leaf: deciduous, opposite, simple, oval, pointed, 4 inch long leaves with dark green color in the summer, turning to purple and red in autumn
Twig and Bud: light tan colored, slender stem with small, insignificant leaf and floral buds
Flower, Fruit and Seed: Flower is small, insignificant, yellow, and surrounded by white petal-like bracts. Fruit is a pinkish to red drupe that resembles a raspberry.
Bark: older wood exfoliates to become a multi-colored gray, tan, and brown
Shape and Mature Height: multi-stemmed with rounded shape, 15-30 feet tall and wide
Garden Value and Considerations
This tree grows well as a specimen tree or in borders near homes. It grows in full sun to part shade and prefers acidic, moist, and well-drained soils. It can tolerate alkaline soil and occasional drought. It is more cold hardy than flowering dogwood and is also more disease resistant. This tree flowers in late spring and the showy, white bracts are extremely ornamental.
Notes
The fruits are eaten by birds, squirrels and other wildlife.
