Scientific name: Cornus kousa
Family: CORNACEAE
Common names: “Kousa dogwood”
Plant Type: Deciduous tree or shrub
Conditions:
Zone: 5-8
Light: Full sun – semi-shade
Exposure: Sheltered
Soil: Humus fertile, neutral – acidic
Moisture: Moist well drained, requires summer irrigation
Aesthetic:
Plant Size: H 22′ W 15′ slow growing
Leaf and Stem shape: Oval leaves turning reddish-purple in autumn
Flower: Tight clusters of small white flowers surrounded by four large oval cream bracts and followed by strawberry-like deep pink fruit clusters
Pruning: Plant in a place where it won’t need any, just remove DDD’s
Maintenance: Medium – low, requires summer irrigation, shallow rooted with no taproot so easy to transplant
Landscape use: Flower borders, roadside planting, small city gardens, good against a conifer background
Propagate: By cuttings or grafting
Pests & Disease: Less suseptible to anthracnose compared to other dogwoods, disease resistant
Comments: Native to China, Japan and Korea, elegant
Cultivars: ~AGM winners: C. k. ‘Wolf Eyes’ , C. k. ‘Summer Fun’ , C. k. ‘John Slocock’ , C. k. var. chinensis ‘Wisley Queen’ , C. k. ‘Miss Satomi’
