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Chinese dogwood in the GardenTags plant encyclopedia

Cornus kousa 'Chinensis'

 

Chinese dogwood

Cornus is commonly known as dogwood, the varieties of which can be distinguished by their blossoms, berries, and bark. They are deciduous trees or shrubs, but a few species are perennial sub-shrubs, and some of the woody types are evergreen. Several varieties produce inconspicuous flowers. 'Chinensis' produces tiny green flowers in mid-summer, which are surrounded by showy, creamy-white, petal-like bracts, that fade to pink as they age. In autumn the dark green leaves turn crimson-purple, and mature trees produce strawberry-like fruits.

Contributed by @melvynprentice

 
plant Features
  • Chinese dogwood likes full sun to partial shade

    Full sun to partial shade

  • Chinese dogwood likes occasional watering

    Occasional watering

  • Chinese dogwood is full frost hardy: 5f (-15°c)

    Full Frost Hardy: 5F (-15°C)

  • Chinese dogwood likes moist and free draining

    Moist and free draining

 
plant information

Common name

Chinese dogwood

Latin name

Cornus kousa 'Chinensis'

type

Trees or Shrubs

family

Cornaceae

ph

5.0 - 8.0 Acid - Neutral

  • Light

    Chinese dogwood likes full sun to partial shade

    Full sun to partial shade

  • Frost

    Chinese dogwood is full frost hardy: 5f (-15°c)

    Full Frost Hardy: 5F (-15°C)

  • Soil

    Chinese dogwood likes moist and free draining

    Moist and free draining

  • Water

    Chinese dogwood likes occasional watering

    Occasional watering

Plant & bloom calendar

  •  
    Best time to plant

full grown dimensions

The size of a fully grown Chinese dogwood is 5.00meters x 7.00meters 5.00 M 7.00 M

Cornus kousa 'Chinensis'

Cornus is commonly known as dogwood, the varieties of which can be distinguished by their blossoms, berries, and bark. They are deciduous trees or shrubs, but a few species are perennial sub-shrubs, and some of the woody types are evergreen. Several varieties produce inconspicuous flowers. 'Chinensis' produces tiny green flowers in mid-summer, which are surrounded by showy, creamy-white, petal-like bracts, that fade to pink as they age. In autumn the dark green leaves turn crimson-purple, and mature trees produce strawberry-like fruits.


Planting

From Late Winter TO Early Spring

Shrubby dogwoods grown for their winter stem colour (Cornus alba, C. sericea and C. sanguinea cvs.) are unfussy about their soil conditions, but they are able to thrive in damp conditions where other shrubs might fail. C. controversa (the wedding cake tree), C. alternifolia (the pagoda dogwood), C. mas (the cornelian cherry) and C. officinalis are also tolerant of a range of soil conditions. Flowering dogwoods Cornus florida, C. kousa, C. capitata and C. nuttallii do best in well-drained but fertile soil that is rich in organic matter and neutral to acid in pH. C. kousa (from Korea and Japan), is more tolerant of neutral to alkaline conditions than are the North American species C. florida and C. nuttallii. All Cornus species will tolerate full sun or partial shade, but those grown for their winter stem colour show better colour when grown in full sun.

 

Propagation

From Mid Spring TO Early Summer

Species plants can be propagated from seed, but named cultivars will not come true to type from seed and are better propagated from hardwood or greenwood cuttings. Variegated cultivars of C. controversa (the wedding cake tree) and C. alternifolia (the pagoda dogwood) are usually grafted commercially in winter, but may also be propagated at home from cuttings.

 
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