Kousa Dogwood Tree

Kousa dogwood (Cornus kousa) is the Asian dogwood that blooms in late spring and stands up to anthracnose better than our native flowering dogwood. We ship kousa dogwood trees bare-root in 1-2, 2-3 and 3-4 foot sizes, in packs of 25, 50, 100 and 500, for yards, borders, nurseries and landscape contractors.

Kousa Dogwood Size, Zones and Sun

Height tops out between 20 and 30 feet in zones 5-8, and the canopy spreads 15 to 30 feet. Kousa takes its time getting there. Full sun suits it, and so does morning sun with afternoon shade. The ground should be acidic and drain freely. A dry stretch will not hurt it, but a spot where water stands will.

Bracts, Fruit and Bark

What look like white petals are bracts, 2 to 3 inches long, and in late spring they can almost cover the tree. The true flowers are tiny. Round red to pink fruit, 1 to 1.5 inches across, ripens from late summer into fall. It is edible, though most gardeners leave it for the birds. Bark on young trees is smooth and light brown, then ages into mottled patches of tan and brown, and fall color runs reddish-purple to scarlet for three to five weeks.

Kousa Dogwood and Wildlife

Songbirds and squirrels eat the fruit, and the tree supports specialized Andrena bees. Deer browse it only mildly. For more on using kousa dogwood in a home landscape, see our blog.

Good to Know About Kousa Dogwood

Ripe fruit that falls and ferments pulls in yellow jackets, which matters if the tree sits over a deck or patio. Young sprouts also appear beneath older trees, and they pull out by hand if you catch them early. For plants that look good beside it, see our dogwood and maple pairing notes for fall.

Kousa Dogwood Sizes, Packs and Shipping

Kousa dogwood trees ship bare-root in November, in 1-2, 2-3 and 3-4 foot sizes and packs of 25, 50, 100 and 500. Volume pricing available. Browse more trees for sale in our wholesale collection.