Kousa Dogwood, Not Your Same Old Dogwood Tree

For those of you who know me or read my column regularly, you know that I do not like the same old plants but rather have a taste for the unique and unusual in plant varieties. Although, I love the native dogwood, Cornus florida, our state flower, it is so often used and misused in the landscape. If you drive down the road where do your find dogwood trees? In the forest as a secondary/understory tree, under the shade of larger trees. Where do you see them in the landscape? In the full sun and near the concrete of parking lots. So one tree similar to the native dogwood but tends to do better in the landscape situation is Cornus kousa, Kousa Dogwood.

The leaves of this dogwood are similar to the native dogwood and when not in bloom most people would not know the difference. The main separation of these two trees is the Kousa dogwood blooms later after the leaves have come out, May-June. I have had clients bring in a Kousa dogwood in flower and ask what is wrong with it, (blooming when the leaves are on). Nothing!

The fruit is also different, it is a red drupe, sort of like a cherry, but not as messy. It is edible and may attract wildlife (birds) to the garden. A tree in full fruit is just as attractive as when it is in flower.

Kousa dogwoods bark exfoliates with age showing a mosaic of gray, tan and rich brown. It can grow to 20-30 feet in height and width with a vase shape habit in youth and maturing to a rounded appearance. Kousa's are slow to moderate growers.

Kousa leaves have wonderful fall color changing from purplish-red to scarlet red. The color usually holds for several weeks.

Kousa's grow best in a acidic, well-drained soil. They require a sunny location, but will flower in moderate shade. More drought tolerate than our native dogwood.

Although borers have been reported they are not nearly as serious of pest on Kousa dogwoods. Kousa's seem resistance to most of the foliage diseases that plaque the native dogwood.

The most common cultivar is 'Milky Way' and we have three of them planted at the Wilson Botanical Gardens, located at the Wilson Ag. Center, 1806 S. Goldsboro Street. 'Milky Way' is profuse in flowering. Can be trained as a tree or shrub-like.

Please come out and enjoy Kousa Dogwood, May's Plant of the Month. The Wilson Botanical Gardens is open daily from sun up until dusk.

The Wilson County Master Gardeners can answer gardening questions from 1-3 PM Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays by calling 237-0113 or email at wilsonmastergardener@hotmail.com.

Date Created: 5/3/04.