Dogwood, Kousa
Cornus kousa

(Chinese Dogwood, Japanese Dogwood)

Seedling Height: 8 to 16 inches

Mature Size: 10 to 20 feet in height and 1 to 1½ feet in diameter

Type: Deciduous

Growth Rate: Slow

Form: A small tree; typically multiple stems, wide branching

Soil Type: Clay, loam, sand, well drained

Light: Full sun, partial sun, partial shade

Foliage: Opposite, simple, oval to ovate with an entire margin, 2½ to 4 inches long, 2 to 2½ inches wide

Blooms: Late spring

Flowers: White to yellow bracts surround a cluster of small flowers, very showy; flowers are 2 to 3 inches across.

Fruit: Edible drupe, pink to light red in color, 1 to 1½ inches across, contains many pits; ripens in late summer to early fall.

Values and Uses: A highly used ornamental tree with great wildlife fruit. The flower makes this tree a must in a landscaping setting. Flowers very similar to the Flowering Dogwood. The flower will bloom typically after the Flowering Dogwood loses it flowers. The fruit can be eaten by many wildlife.

Did You Know? Humans can eat the fruit from the Kousa Dogwood.