Cornus kousa
Beauty is often unfairly associated with fragility , but the kousa dogwood tree utterly destroys that stereotype .
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Thanks to the bloom dogwood ’s well - have a go at it vulnerability to disease and pest , it ’s easy to accept that every dogwood is just as susceptible .
Photo via Alamy.
ButCornus kousahas no such weakness . In fact , its toughness in the fount of infection and infestation is what makes this tree so valuable , specially here in the United States .
Not that its appearance is n’t a major asset .
I ’d argue that , in a beauty contest , the kousa dogwood tree would givethe flowering dogwooda serious tally for its money .
It has the full package : sensational blooms , fabulous fruit , lovely leaves , and a fantastic configuration .
As with any plant , growing this tree takes specialized knowledge . Good thing we packaged it up in a palatable growing guide for you !
Here ’s a roadmap of where we ’re cash in one’s chips with all this :
What You’ll Learn
What Are Kousa Dogwood Trees?
Hardy in USDA zone 5 to 8 , the kousa dogwood tree hails from China , Japan , and Korea .
This tree diagram belong to the Cornaceae family and theCornusgenus , alongsidefloweringC. floridaandC. mas , the Cornelian cherry .
Cornus – fromcornu , meaning “ hard ” in Latin – concern to the plant ’s hard woods , whilekousais the Japanese word for “ cornel . ”
C. kousahas a multi - stemmed habit and extend to a mature height and paste of 15 to 30 feet .
The habit starts off vase - shaped and becomes more rounded with age , with prominently layered fork .
These branches forge clearly horizontal lines , which areattractive in winterand supply a fantastic line with the vertical lines of nearby structures .
The smooth and light brown untested barque grey and peels with age , revealing dappled mosaics of tan , brown , and grayish in the exfoliated patches . In general , this tree has a slow growth pace , specially when it ’s young .
The simple , oppositely - set leaves are lance to ellipse shaped , with distinctive dogwood - way leaf veins that grow from the midvein and gather at the sharp - point leaf tips .
The mature folio color is dark green , and changes shades of cerise - purpleness to scarlet in autumn .
Masses of small , insignificant , yellowish - immature bloom rosiness in late May to early June , beleaguer by creamy white leafage bract that are often confuse for blossoms .
Four - pointed , football - shaped bract circle each clustering of true flowers , and these incline to pinken with eld .
In former August to October , the flowers give mode to attractive pinkish - red to red drupe , which resemble snort somewhat in both sizing and sort .
These fruits are support on skinny stems , which further advertise the tasty - looking fruit to birds and squirrels .
This Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree has two race : kousaandchinensis . The former is aboriginal to Japan and Korea , while the latter originates in China .
In general , the Chinese subspecies has a more freely growing habit and produces large bloom than the other race .
Cultivation and History
in the beginning found only in their Asian countries of origin , kousas are sometimes referred to by alternative common name such as Nipponese , Japanese flowering , Korean , and Formosan cornel .
First brought to the US around 1875 , these trees are now vernacular in cultivation here .
The kousa dogwood tree is resistant to pests and diseases that pose a heavy danger toC. florida , which make believe it quite ornamentally worthful .
BreedingC. kousawithC. florida , when done successfully , can ensue in a intercrossed cross that ’s both beautifulandless prone to wellness problems .
Many kousa dogwood cultivar have inscribe the marketplace , and a handful have experience the Royal Horticultural Society ’s esteemed Award of Garden Merit .
Along with its disease and pestilence resistance , C. kousais valued in landscape gardening for its Robert Lee Frost - impedance and relative moth-eaten daring .
Plus , this tree diagram ’s berry are eatable for human beings as well as animate being .
Sure , the rind is sulfurous , and the seeds can be a mo inconvenient to eat around , but the mush is yummy . It can be used for making kettle of fish and jellies , or even wipe out raw .
Propagation
As with most species ofCornus , it ’s best to propagateC. kousafrom germ , by taking stem cuttings , or via transplanting .
These method are listed here in monastic order of descending difficulty .
Propagating from seed definitely takes the longest , but the likely rewards are the swell , since you could end up with a unequaled and worthy mutation .
Transplanting is best for those who have a ready - to - transplant specimen on hand and/or want a kousa dogwood ASAP , while cuttings are the in-between - of - the - route alternative for folks who need to originate the plant life from babyhood , but care to bypass the cum assemblage , social stratification , and germination steps .
permit ’s tinge on some specific facet of kousa dogwood propagation , rattling spry .
First off , the fruits : rather than produce a cluster of reddened , olive - forge berries that mature in August like the flowering cornel does , C. kousahas spherical , spiky fruit that hang from stems and ending ripening by mid - September .
to boot , its seeds are a bite bulkier and more irregularly - shaped than those ofC. florida .
It ’s really quite easy to pop remove the fruits with your hands to get at the seed within , which will need to be stratify for 120 days prior to sowing indoors .
shank cutting should be harvested in four - inch lengths from semi - hardwood shoot come summertime , and dedicate a basal dip of root endocrine to speed up the root operation before sticking in growing media , growing indoors , and hardening off outside come natural spring .
As far as transplants go , you ’ll want to place them in fertile and well - drain planting sites , with a pH of 5.5 to 6.5 .
Make certain the sites are deposit at least 20 feet away from each other , and at least six feet away from rude hardscapes and homo - made structures .
How to Grow
In my opinion , these trees are too gorgeous to grow in less - than - optimal conditions .
A kousa cornel require to be embed in USDA Hardiness Zones 5 to 8 for optimal outgrowth and aesthetic . Additionally , it should ideally be situated in full sunlight .
Having said that , partial subtlety body of work as well . It ’s also passably cold- and freeze - Oliver Hardy for aCornus , so do n’t choke if your planting situation toe the line between USDA Zones 4 and 5 .
This Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree needs to sit down in well - draining soil that ’s highly fertile , such as sandy loam . Mild acidity is another must , so take aim for a pH scale somewhere in the 5.5 to 6.5 kitchen range .
It ’s good to conserve ground wet by water whenever the top inch of soil feels dry to the soupcon .
But this species is more drouth - resistant once matured than mostother kinds ofCornus , so do n’t stress if you slacken on the auxiliary irrigation .
Adding a few in ofcompostor well - rotted manure to the root zone in springtime will help to maintain soil fertility . You should n’t need to apply subsidiary plant food if you stay on top of these annual amendment .
Growing Tips
Pruning and Maintenance
The natural - looking form of most dogwoods develop a beautiful human body on its own without the demand for any pruning .
But it definitely helps the tree ’s appearance and health to crop any branches that are damaged , dead , or sickly whenever you pass to notice them .
small one-year pruning in the fountain to remove rubbing , hybridization , and obtrusive branches will increase airflow and improve aesthetics .
Rake up fallen leaves after they put down . maintain a two- to four - inch layer of mulch over the solution zone without coming into impinging with the trunk will help to suppress weed growth and prevent moisture loss .
Cultivars to Select
For a specimen to get you started , you’re able to purchase a kousa dogwood in a # 1 , # 4 , or # 5 containerfrom Nature Hills Nursery .
Kousa Dogwood
Alongside the stock species , some awful cultivar are available today . permit ’s research a few .
Gold Star
A 20 - foot - grandiloquent and 15 - foot - wide-cut cultivar of thechinensissubspecies , ‘ Gold Star ’ has leaves with a broad dab of yellow diversification run vertically down the shopping mall , red-faced foliage stems , and the white bracts are a bit less pointed than those of the received coinage .
Come fall , the yellow variegation turn red , and the edges of the leaves morph to a blood-red - purpleness chromaticity .
With an overall droopy form to boot , ‘ Gold Star ’ earns its name in both mantrap and distinction .
Milky Way
Anotherchinensiscultivar , ‘ milklike manner ’ has prolific and shining blooms , just like the stars in our galaxy .
Attaining a 20 - foot height and width at maturity , this variety flowers heavily in June , with leaves that turn shade of orange tree - loss to scarlet in gloam .
This cultivar bring about large berries that grow in summer , and these persist long into late fall past the point of leaf drop . With its unique florescence , ‘ Milky Way ’ is not a variety to disregard .
Miss Satomi
Also sold under the patronage name ‘ Rosabella ’ and ‘ New Red , ’ ‘ Miss Satomi ’ has beautiful , rose - color leaf bracts , and reaches a height of 12 to 15 metrical unit with a 10- to 12 - foot spread when fully develop .
This diverseness is an awful alternative for those who seek a change from the common white “ flush . ” Plus , ‘ Miss Satomi ’ was a 1993 winner of the RHS Award of Garden Merit !
Moonbeam
Want size of it over quantity ? With ‘ Moonbeam , ’ you ’ll have bloom twice as braggy as those of the standard species , with each bloom measuring seven to eight inches in diameter .
At a fledged tallness and breadth of 15 to 25 feet , ‘ Moonbeam ’ prove that bigger ( flower ) sometimes are good .
Wolf Eyes
Even thoughC. kousais already a little understory tree , ‘ Wolf middle ’ is even little , topping out at 15 feet in height and width .
Along with its diminutive sizing , ‘ Wolf Eyes ’ flaunt leave-taking edged with livid that wrick a stunning pink to red ink in fall .
This variegation in the leaf is quite stable , and the leaves are less likely to burn than those of other variegated type ofCornus .
This plant is slow - mature , and actually choose partial spectre to full sun .
Another recipient of the RHS Award of Garden Merit , granted in 2012 , ‘ Wolf heart ’ fits in the shaded , rigorous spaces of garden where other Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree wo n’t – and does it with dash .
Managing Pests and Disease
One of the best trait ofC. kousais its underground to pesterer and pathogen .
CommonCornusissues such asdogwood anthracnose , powdery mildew , and cornel borer plague are not a problem for this tree .
Using fix horticulture prick , disease - free plants , and light filth are all overbold ways of preventing potential problem , of line .
pick out cultivars renowned for their resiliency is another smart strategy .
But for the most part , aC. kousadoesn’t command theconcern over infestationand infection that , say , aC. floridaspecimen would .
Be sure to pick out an appropriate planting web site with fair to middling sun exposure and territory drain to ward off issues with rot , and to promote flowering .
Best Uses
Kousa dogwood tree is gorgeous enough to pose as a specimen in the landscape – it ’s a one - plant life show .
But when plant in multiples and arranged in a line , these trees make for a solid and aesthetic boundary line . It ’ll surely expect better than a wall or fencing , if I do say so myself !
As a introduction planting , this tree ’s horizontal branching distich quite nicely with the vertical lines formed by the corners and edge of construction , make the man - made structures somehow appear large .
And it die without saying that aC. kousais the perfect planting for those who need the dogwood tree esthetic sans any important pest and disease risk .
Quick Reference Growing Guide
Bark up the Right Tree
As a Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree enthusiast , it pains me to say this … but not every tree should be establish . Like a Bradford pear Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree , for instance .
imbed a species get it on today to be invading throughout most parts of the US would be a total mistake , just like be amiss a bartender ’s friendliness for flirtatiousness .
But I ’m confident in saying that the kousa cornel is in spades worthy of a spot in your landscape if you live in a suitable Hardiness Zone . Its beauty and resilience are enough to make it a place in your garden .
Interested ingrowing other types of dogwood trees ? Have a look at these guides next :
© inquire the Experts , LLC . ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.See our TOSfor more details . Cartesian product photo via Nature Hills Nursery . Uncredited photos : Shutterstock .
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Joe Butler
