Cornus kousa ‘Wolfeyes’ at UT Arboretum, Oak Ridge, TN

C. kousa ‘Lustgarten Weeping’ at Rutgers University, NJ

There are over 100 named varieties (cultivars)  of kousa (Chinese) dogwoods (Cornus kousa) in nursery trade (USDA hardiness zone 5-8). Most cultivars grow 20-30 feet high with some exceptions. Kousa dogwood blooms 2-3 weeks after U.S. native flowering dogwood (C. florida). Most grow shrub-like and tree forms require extensive training at the nursery.

Flowers are 2-4 inches wide with either white or pink tapered bracts. Flowers appear after the leaves emerge. Fleshy pinkish-red to red fruits ripen in late summer.  Flowers and foliage are highly resistant to anthracnose disease and deer tend to stay away.

Several cultivars are very new and others are not well known. Dogwood researchers, such as at the University of Tennessee, continue to evaluate the best cultivars for the Southeastern U.S. Key characteristics they search for include drought tolerance, heat resistance and better tree forms.

Some cultivars that show great promise include:

‘Blue Shadow’– exceptional dark green foliage; blooms at an early age.

‘Gold Cup’ – dark green foliage marked with a prominent golden yellow streak in the leaf center and small white blooms

‘Gold Star’ – slow growing tree; green leaves with butter-yellow center blotch.

Heart Throb®  (’Schmred’)  – red-colored bracts do not fade out in southeast U.S. heat as do many red flowering varieties.

Fruits of C. kousa

‘Lustgarten Weeping’ – strong weeping form but is reportedly disease prone.

‘Milky Way’ – popular “generic” variety that flowers early and prolifically; flowering tends to be biennial, heavy one year and light the next.

‘National’ – vigorous, vase-shaped tree and dark green foliage

‘Scarlet Fire’ Kousa dogwood

Scarlet Fire®  -new! 2018 introduction from Rutgers University with fade-proof red (dark pink) bracts.

‘Summer Stars’ – heavy-blooming; good drought tolerance.

‘Wolf Eyes’ – slow growing compact (10-12 feet) shrub form; creamy white variegated foliage is scorch-resistant; small white flowers fade into foliage.