Tree identification is a journey. You start with features that are clear, unique, and easy to spot, like the ginkgo tree’s leaves, the London planetree’s peeling bark, or the American sweetgum’s spiked seed pods. As you go along, though, it’s easy to spot groups of species—that’s a magnolia, that looks like an oak, I bet that’s a maple—but it’s harder to figure out which species each one is. This is the first episode of our new series, Which is Which?, which is meant to answer that very question! We’ll start with the dogwood, which is the state tree of Virginia, to show you the difference between a Flowering Dogwood, a Kousa Dogwood, and more.
Dogwoods are small, slow-growing trees that fall under the genus Cornus. Their famous flowers, which attract pollinators like bees and butterflies, are surrounded by four, bright bracts. Planting a dogwood through one of our many residential planting programs will give your yard a pop of color and bring in pollinators for little to no cost or work on your part.
When folks picture a dogwood, this is usually what they’re thinking of. The white or flowering dogwood is a pretty small tree. When it’s fully grown, it’s about 25 feet tall and 25 feet wide. There are white, pink, or red flowers on it in early spring. The branches are short, and the crown is flat. Flowering dogwoods also have shiny red fruit that birds eat, and their leaves turn a beautiful red-purple color in the fall.
The pink dogwood is a popular tree for landscaping. Just look at this beautiful tree in full bloom, and you’ll understand why. It is a type of flowering dogwood and has many of the same traits, such as glossy red fruit that ripens in the fall and striking red or reddish-purple leaves. While the Pink Dogwood has pink bracts and dark green leaves that are oval or egg-shaped and taper to a point, the White Dogwood doesn’t.
The Kousa dogwood is a small tree that loses its leaves every year. It is also called Chinese dogwood, Korean dogwood, or Japanese dogwood. It’s colorful all year, like the flowering dogwood, but there’s one small difference: in spring, it has lots of yellowish-green flowers, in summer, it has lots of pinkish-red berries, and in fall, the leaves turn a purple-red color. Another determining factor? Its mottled, exfoliating, textured bark can brighten up your winter.
This tree is one of the few dogwoods with leaves that are arranged alternately on the stems instead of in opposite positions. It is also known as alternate-leaf dogwood. It’s also known as Pagoda because the branches grow in layers and the crown is flat, which makes it look like a pagoda.
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Dogwood trees are beloved for their showy spring blooms and multi-season interest. Two popular landscape choices are the native white dogwood (Cornus florida) and the Asian kousa dogwood (Cornus kousa). While similar at first glance these two dogwood species have some key differences. Let’s compare kousa dogwood vs. white dogwood traits to help choose the best for your yard.
Flowers and Blooming Time
White dogwood is renowned for its white (or sometimes pink) spring flowers consisting of four large, notched bracts surrounding a cluster of tiny greenish flowers. The blossoms appear before the leaves emerge, lighting up the early spring garden.
Kousa dogwood also bears four-bract flowers but the bracts are more pointed and overlap. The blooms are a bit smaller and appear after the leaves form. Kousa typically blooms about 2-3 weeks after white dogwood.
Fruit Production
Following pollination, white dogwood produces vibrant red spherical fruit clusters that ripen in early fall. Birds relish these vitamin-rich berries to prepare for migration.
Meanwhile, kousa dogwood fruit takes the form of a large fused raspberry-like aggregate that ripens reddish-pink in late summer. Kousa berries are larger but less wildlife-friendly. Birds and mammals tend to leave them uneaten, so they drop messily to the ground.
Tree Size, Form and Foliage
At maturity, white dogwood reaches 15-30 feet tall and wide in an oval to rounded shape. It has light green elliptical leaves that turn purplish-red in fall.
Kousa dogwood grows 20-30 feet tall and wide in an upright spreading form. Its leaves are dark green and pointed. Foliage turns reddish in fall but color is inconsistent.
Ornamental Attributes
Beyond spring blooms, white dogwood offers reddish fall color, blue fruit clusters, and attracts pollinators. Its horizontal branching pattern makes a striking winter silhouette.
Kousa dogwood also has ornamental appeal with creamy summer bloom, peeling cinnamon-hued bark, and red fall fruit. However, its fruit and bloom time is less ideal for native wildlife.
Site Conditions and Care
White dogwood thrives in moist, well-draining soil and partial shade. It requires supplemental water during droughts. Prune only when dormant to prevent disease.
Kousa dogwood is adaptable to varying soil types and moisture levels. It tolerates full sun but also shade. Prune in late winter. Kousa is less susceptible to diseases plaguing white dogwood.
Availability and Disease Resistance
White dogwood was devastated by anthracnose disease, but resistant cultivars like ‘Appalachian Spring,’ ‘Cherokee Brave,’ and ‘Cherokee Princess’ have restored its commercial availability.
Kousa dogwood naturally resists anthracnose disease. It has long been a substitute for white dogwood in landscapes. Kousa cultivars like ‘Milky Way,’ ‘Prophet,’ and ‘Scarlet Fire’ offer variety.
Mature Size and Growth Rate
White dogwood grows at a moderate pace, reaching its mature size in about 20 years. Occasional pruning is needed to maintain an attractive form.
Kousa dogwood grows vigorously and may exceed its expected size. It may require frequent pruning to control size and shape.
Wildlife Value
As a native species, white dogwood supports at least 117 species of caterpillars and moths that serve as bird food. Its spring nectar and fall fruit also benefit wildlife.
With large, late summer berries and fewer insect associations, kousa dogwood has very limited wildlife value in North America.
In Summary
For multi-season beauty and maximal support for birds, butterflies, and pollinators, white dogwood is the optimal choice. Where disease resistance and lower maintenance are priorities, non-native kousa dogwood may be preferable. Consult local tree experts for the best cultivars for your growing conditions. With proper care, either dogwood can make a stunning focal point in the home landscape.
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Kousa Dogwood – Cornus Kousa – Korean Dogwood – Japanese Dogwood – Chinese Dogwood
FAQ
What is the difference between dogwood and kousa dogwood?
What is the prettiest dogwood tree?
Are kousa dogwood trees messy?
What are the benefits of kousa dogwood tree?
What is the difference between Kousa dogwood and flowering dogwood?
Native to China, Japan, and Korea, the kousa dogwood (Cornus kousa) is very similar to the flowering dogwood. The first difference you will notice is that the leaves appear before the flowers, and the tree flowers a couple of weeks later than the flowering dogwood.
How big does a Kousa dogwood tree get?
The tree grows to a height of 15-30 feet with a vase-like shape that rounds with age. It produces pinkish-red to red berries in late summer, and its leaves turn a stunning reddish-purple in fall. The Kousa dogwood is more resistant to diseases than some other dogwood varieties and thrives in well-drained, acidic soil. 4.
Does Kousa dogwood grow in shade?
Although Kousa dogwood with all its varieties is not native to North America, it has adapted well to moderate Growing Zones. It can tolerate different types of soil and will thrive in partial shade when full sunlight is not available. The tree prefers slightly acidic soil. High pH levels can impact its foliage and blooms.
Is Kousa dogwood edible?
Kousa dogwood is native to Asia. It has a different growth habit, is more cold-tolerant, less heat-tolerant, later flowering and more disease-resistant than the US-native flowering dogwood, and has exfoliating bark. Its fruit is not berry-like but strawberry-like in appearance and is edible raw.
Is Kousa dogwood deer resistant?
Both flowering dogwood and kousa dogwood are fairly deer-resistant. While a hungry deer will eat almost anything, they seem to prefer other vegetation. However, kousa dogwood’s believed to be slightly more deer-resistant. For me, it’s kousa dogwood hands-down. It’ll grow well in full sun, isn’t so prone to drying up and it blooms for longer.
Can Kousa kill dogwood?
Flowering dogwood is susceptible to anthracnose, a devastating and incurable disease that can kill the tree. In areas where anthracnose is a problem, plant kousa or Cornelian cherry dogwood instead. Gardening tips, videos, info and more delivered right to your inbox!