Kousa Dogwood

Kousa Dogwood

(Cornus kousa)

Cornaceae (Dogwood Family)

▲ ▼ flowering tree - flowers appear after leaves emerge

▲ young tree

▲ ▼ leaves, showing in-rolling, crinkling common on Kousa dogwood

▲ fruit

Location on campus: southeast entrance of Cheek Hall, and along east side of Cheek Hall

Cornus kousa: Kousa Dogwood

• leaves, young stems, growth habit and growth requirements similar to flowering dogwood
• flower bracts similar to flowering dogwood, but often have pointed tips; trees bloom after foliage appears in mid spring, about 2-3 weeks after flowering dogwood; flowers are held above foliage so have a horizontal layering of flowers through tree canopy
• fruit is a knobby red drupe about 2 - 1" diameter that is very attractive
• bark on older trees exfoliates to gray-tan-brown layers which is very attractive
• growth requirements similar to flowering dogwood, except it prefers full sun locations
• similar Flowering Dogwood (Cornus florida), is native to Missouri, has clusters of individual, football-shaped fruit, flowers before leaves emerge, and has blocky, thick bark on mature trees