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Features
Oval, green leaves hang delicately from spring until autumn, when they turn bright red-purple before falling. In early summer clusters of tiny green flowers appear surrounded by four creamy-white bracts, which appear like petals. Deep pink, strawberry-like fruits appear on tall stalks, although in milder climates the tree will only produce fruit after a hot summer.
What to use it for
Useful in beds or borders, where it can be used like a large shrub or pruned into a standard form to raise the canopy above the other plants. A good specimen tree for a small garden, although it will be bare over winter.
How to look after it
Requires little maintenance. Pruning (see below) should be kept to a minimum.
How to prune it
Pruning is only needed to remove dead wood after flowering. If you wish to clear the stem to create a standard form, prune it from autumn to early spring. Otherwise keep pruning to a minimum; Cornus kousa does not tolerate hard pruning.
How to propagate it
Can be propagated by semi-ripe cuttings in late spring to early summer. Seeds can be collected; extract them from ripe fruits, cold stratify and then sow in late winter to early spring.
Common problems
May suffer from cornus anthracnose, although it is less susceptible than other Cornus species, and honey fungus. Pests don’t tend to be a problem.
Other useful information ?
The red fruits are edible but may cause a mild stomach upset if too many are eaten.
