Overview

Introduce a touch of timeless elegance to your landscape with the Kousa Dogwood live plant. This captivating ornamental flowering tree, also known by its botanical name Cornus kousa, is renowned for its exceptional four-season interest. Unlike common dogwoods, the Kousa Dogwood blooms later in the spring, showcasing an abundance of star-shaped white flowers that transform into unique, raspberry-like red fruits in late summer. Its beauty continues into autumn with spectacular red and orange foliage, and even in winter, its exfoliating bark provides visual appeal. Shipped as a healthy live plant in a quart-sized pot, it’s ready to thrive in your garden.

The Kousa Dogwood live plant is a favorite among gardeners for its stunning aesthetic, disease resistance, and graceful, often multi-stemmed form. It’s a versatile choice that can serve as an elegant specimen tree, a beautiful addition to a mixed border, or a focal point in a smaller garden. This deciduous tree is not only beautiful but also relatively low-maintenance, making it an excellent investment for lasting garden enjoyment. Experience the joy of watching this tree evolve through the seasons, providing continuous beauty and interest.

Key Benefits

Integrating a Kousa Dogwood live plant into your garden offers a multitude of advantages, enhancing both its aesthetic appeal and ecological value. This resilient tree is designed to provide continuous beauty and enjoyment throughout the year.

• Four-Season Interest: Enjoy a dynamic display with white, star-shaped flowers in late spring, attractive red fruits in summer, vibrant red and orange fall foliage, and striking exfoliating bark in winter. The Kousa Dogwood tree truly delivers year-round visual appeal.
• Stunning White Blooms: Adorn your garden with an abundance of delicate, star-shaped white bracts that emerge after the leaves, creating a breathtaking late spring to early summer spectacle. These blooms are a hallmark of this beautiful ornamental flowering tree.
• Attractive Edible Fruits: Produce unique, raspberry-like red fruits in late summer that are not only ornamental but also edible for humans and a favorite food source for birds, adding wildlife interest to your landscape.
• Vibrant Autumn Color: Witness a spectacular transformation as the foliage turns brilliant shades of red and orange, providing a stunning fiery display that brightens the fall garden.
• Disease Resistance: Benefit from a species known for its good resistance to common dogwood diseases, ensuring a healthier, more robust tree with less maintenance.
• Graceful Form and Texture: Develops a lovely, often multi-stemmed habit with distinctive exfoliating bark that adds architectural interest and texture to the winter landscape.
• Versatile Landscaping Choice: Ideal as a specimen tree, part of a mixed border, or for adding height and structure to smaller garden spaces. This quart pot Kousa is adaptable to various garden designs.

Plant Care & Growing Tips

Proper care for your Kousa Dogwood live plant will ensure its vigorous growth and abundant seasonal displays. This adaptable tree generally thrives with consistent attention to its basic needs, rewarding you with years of beauty. When considering Kousa Dogwood care, remember its preference for specific environmental conditions.

For optimal growth, plant your Kousa Dogwood in a location that receives full sun to partial shade. Full sun encourages the best flowering and fall color, while partial shade, especially in hotter climates, can protect it from scorching afternoon sun. Ensure the soil is well-draining, acidic, and rich in organic matter. Amend heavy clay soils with compost to improve drainage and aeration. Water regularly, especially during dry spells and in the first few years after planting, to establish a strong root system. While mature Kousa Dogwoods are somewhat drought-tolerant, consistent moisture promotes healthier growth and better flowering.

The Kousa Dogwood is hardy in USDA zones 5-8. Protect young trees from harsh winter winds in colder zones. Fertilize in early spring with a balanced, slow-release fertilizer formulated for acid-loving plants. Pruning is generally minimal, focusing on removing dead, damaged, or crossing branches to maintain a healthy structure. Pests and diseases are not typically a major issue for Kousa Dogwood, thanks to its inherent resistance. However, monitor for common garden pests like aphids and treat as needed with organic insecticidal soap. With attentive Kousa Dogwood care, your tree will flourish.

Size & Details

Your Kousa Dogwood live plant will arrive carefully packaged in a quart nursery pot, ready for planting. At this stage, the plant is typically young, allowing it to adapt easily to its new environment and establish strong roots. While initial height varies, Kousa Dogwoods are known for their moderate growth rate, eventually reaching a mature height of 15-30 feet with a similar spread, forming an attractive, rounded vase shape.

The tree’s growth rate is typically 12-24 inches per year under ideal conditions. Expect the characteristic white blooms to begin appearing in late spring to early summer once the plant has established itself, usually within a few years of planting. The distinctive red fruits follow in late summer. This quart pot Kousa provides a perfect starting point for cultivating a magnificent specimen in your garden. The plant is shipped as a rooted, live specimen, ensuring a healthy start.

Frequently Asked Questions

• Q: How big does this Kousa Dogwood live plant get? A: A mature Kousa Dogwood live plant typically reaches a height of 15-30 feet and a similar spread, developing a graceful, rounded form over time. Its growth rate is moderate, about 1-2 feet per year.
• Q: What size pot does it come in? A: This Kousa Dogwood is shipped as a healthy live plant in a quart-sized nursery pot, providing a robust root system for successful transplanting.
• Q: Is this an indoor or outdoor plant? A: The Kousa Dogwood is an outdoor ornamental tree, best suited for planting in garden beds, as a specimen tree, or in large containers on patios where it can receive adequate sunlight and space.
• Q: How much sunlight does it need? A: For best results, plant your Kousa Dogwood in a location that receives full sun to partial shade. Full sun promotes abundant flowering and vibrant fall color.
• Q: Is this plant easy to care for? A: Yes, the Kousa Dogwood is considered relatively low-maintenance once established, especially given its disease resistance. Consistent watering and appropriate sunlight are key for good Kousa Dogwood care.
• Q: What condition will the plant arrive in? A: Your Kousa Dogwood will arrive as a carefully packaged live plant in a quart pot. During colder months, it may be dormant with few or no leaves, which is completely normal and indicates a healthy plant ready for spring growth.
• Q: When is the best time to plant a Kousa Dogwood tree? A: The best times to plant your Kousa Dogwood tree are in early spring or early fall, allowing the plant sufficient time to establish its root system before extreme weather conditions.
• Q: Will it survive winter in my zone? A: The Kousa Dogwood is hardy in USDA Zones 5-8. If you are within these zones, it should successfully overwinter with minimal protection once established.
• Q: What are the benefits of having an ornamental flowering tree? A: An ornamental flowering tree like the Kousa Dogwood provides significant aesthetic value, seasonal interest, shade, and can attract beneficial wildlife like birds to your garden.
• Q: Are the fruits of the Kousa Dogwood edible? A: Yes, the red, raspberry-like fruits of the Kousa Dogwood are edible and have a sweet taste, though they are often more valued for their ornamental appeal and as a food source for birds.