Plant profile
Botanical name: Cornus kousa
German name: Asian flowering dogwood
Family: Dogwood family (Cornaceae)
Flowering time: May — June
Blossoms: Four-petalled white to pink bracts
Berries: Reddish to orange-red, raspberry-like fruit; edible
Foliage: Summer green, autumn colouring
Growth habit: Shrub or small tree
Origin: Asia
Details of the Cornus kousa
As an elegant shrub or tree, Cornus kousa is a popular solitary shrub in garden design. The Asian flowering dogwood blooms from May to June and the star-shaped, white to pink flowers are lavishly distributed throughout the shrub. The slow-growing shrub has upward-growing side branches and oval, dark green leaves.
Cornus kousa is particularly beautiful in autumn: the foliage with its scarlet-red autumn colour remains intact for a long time and the plant is also adorned with small, raspberry-like fruits. These fruits are even edible and have a slightly sweet flavour.
Asian flowering dogwoods like sunny to semi-shady conditions and grow best in humus-rich to acidic soil. Cornus kousa is generally easy to care for and robust, tolerating frost as well as heat or drought. Only in the first year after planting should the shrub be watered regularly.
There is also a magnificent flowering dogwood in our show garden, which blooms beautifully for a long time. In the Gartenvilla, we advise visitors on site. The perfect place for inspiration and garden expertise.
Use of the Asian flowering dogwood in design
Thanks to its mostly bushy growth habit, Cornus kousa is particularly suitable for front gardens, parks and larger areas. As a small shrub, however, it also enhances borders and is a real eye-catcher in a sufficiently large planter, even on terraces. Whether in the summer months or in autumn: our plant of the month is a real feast for the eyes at different times of the year.
PARC’S references
Cornus kousa has already been used in these and many other gardens:
