They both take our breath away with individual attributes. Cornus kousa and Cornus officinalis, meanwhile, cause perplexity when purchasing, since both ornamental shrubs can sometimes be discovered under the name Japanese dogwood. In order to shed some light on the darkness, we will first present the answers to frequently asked questions, which are used to express the differences between the Cornus kousa and the Cornus officinalis.

Cornus kousa is a bizarre beauty for the garden

Which location is suitable?

In its natural distribution area, a Cornus kousa prefers to look for a place along the edge of the forest. The furious flowering shrub achieves its optimum under the following conditions:

  • Bright to light-shady location without blazing midday sun
  • Without the risk of summer heat build-up
  • Gladly humid, near a pond or stream

With an average growth height of 4 meters, a Japanese flower dogwood is the ideal candidate to stage itself in front of the dark backdrop of mighty deciduous trees, like its towering conspecific, the Cornus officinalis.
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What soil does the plant need?

A Cornus kousa proves to be demanding in terms of soil conditions. Allocate the ornamental tree a place in sandy, humus-rich and well-drained soil. A high level of nutrients is desirable, as is a fresh to moderately dry moisture level. Regardless of its preference for a humid location, the soil must not be threatened by waterlogging.

When is flowering time?

Cornus kousa flowers in May and June. Thus, it seamlessly continues the flowering of Cornus officinalis, which suggests a socialization of the two dogwood species. It's not about flowers in the true sense. In fact, the Japanese flower dogwood inspires us with its small heads, surrounded by 4 magnificent white or pink bracts.

Properly cut Cornus kousa

As an early summer flowering shrub, a Cornus kousa gets its central shape and maintenance cut in late winter on a frost-free, overcast day. Confidently shorten shoots that are too long to the desired length, as the wood tolerates pruning well. Although a pruning per se is not absolutely necessary, the annual thinning should not be missed. In addition, there is nothing wrong with pruning twigs immediately after flowering. It is important to remember that you are partially depriving yourself of the decorative and tasty stone fruits.
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Propagating Cornus kousa

If you acquire a Cornus kousa, you will very likely succumb to the brilliant radiance of its hybrids. Of course, the beautiful varieties can only be propagated by means of refinement by the hand of the master gardener. In contrast, the offspring of the pure wild species is quite uncomplicated with cuttings, sticks, sinkers or sowing.

Beautiful varieties

Before you deal with the answers to frequently asked questions about Cornus officinalis below, we invite you to take a brief excursion into the fascinating diversity of varieties of Cornus kousa:

  • Venus: The world star among the Japanese flower dogwoods with a creamy white bloom in May and June; 200-400cm
  • Queen of Clubs: Floral deck of cards with white bracts arranged in the shape of a cross around a spherical centre; 350-500cm
  • Ben Fuji: A compact strain that delights us with pink dogwood flowers; ideal for the bucket; 175-250cm
  • Goldstar: The valuable breed boasts yellow leaves and white flowers; 150-200cm
  • China Girl: The majestic Cornus kousa is recommended as a solitaire for the large garden; 400-600cm

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Trees