Kousa Dogwood

Cornus kousa

Kousa Dogwood is an attractive flowering deciduous tree that blooms in late spring to early summer, after most other dogwood species have finished flowering.  Its flowers are small and star-shaped, typically creamy white or light yellow in color. These flowers are surrounded by four large, showy bracts that can be white, pink, or even red, depending on the cultivar.  It has a vase-shaped growth habit and attractive green leaves that turn reddish-purple in the fall.

After the flowers fade, the Kousa Dogwood produces small, round berries that resemble raspberries. These berries start out green and gradually turn pink or red as they ripen. They are not only visually appealing but also attract birds to the garden.

MAINTENANCE NEEDS: Low Maintenance. Prone to leaf scorching or spots in full sun.  Does not have the disease or pest problems of the native dogwoods. If dropped fruit is left to ferment it can attract yellow jackets.

 LANDSCAPE USES:  Accents or Group Plantings, Borders, Woodland Gardens, Ponds or streams, and Foundational Plantings.

COMPANION PLANTS: Maple, Beautyberry, Mahonia

IMAGES: Dalgial, Cornus kousa, CC BY-SA 3.0, (2) Dunrakin, Kousa Dogwood Wallpaper-1280x1024, CC BY-SA 3.0, (3) User:SB_Johnny, Cornus kousa fall color 1, CC BY-SA 3.0

*As plants have ranges in appearance they may not appear as the images shown.