Kousa Dogwood – Cornus Chinensis

The Kousa Dogwood Tree is a beautiful tree with white blooming flowers.  This particular tree also has edible berries on it as well.  The tree blooms in late spring and can grow between 20' to 30' tall.  The hardy zones for this type of tree is 5-8.  The Kousa Dogwood is a native to Eastern Asia.  There are other names for this tree.  Sometimes it is called Chinese, Japanese, or Korean.  This is probably because it is stands upright. 
The Kousa Dogwood is a very ornamental tree. It is great to use in landscape design. The tree has a beautiful white flower bloom in the late spring or early summer.  It has a dark green leaf and the leaf turns to a reddish/purple color int he fall.  It is beautiful all year long.  The spread of the tree is 15' to 20' wide.  It has more of a horizontal branching out, although it has a vase type shape when it is young.  The tree is slow growing. 
Plant the tree in good moist soil and it will require partial shade to full sun.  The tree has small berries which are very sweet.  Sometimes these berries are used to make wine.  The white blooms on the tree open just below clusters of yellow green flowers, making for a very pretty tree.  The tree is commonly used inside buildings for decor.  Homeowners often choose this particular type of tree to enhance the decor of the outside of their home.  The beauty of the tree shows well against dark colored landscaping mulch.  The options of how and where to use the tree are endless. 
The tree can be found throughout the United States but more often it is grown in the western states.  Some eastern states have been known to grow this tree as well.  The soil must be moist.  When planting the tree, choose moist soil so that the tree will develop a great root system which will enable it to grow and stay moistened on its own.  The easy care and rare beauty are two wonderful features of the tree.  If needing a beauty to add to your land view, this tree is a great choice.

Botanical Name: Kousa Dogwood – Cornus Chinensis