Cornus kousa var. chinensis

Chinese dogwood

Eventual height & spread

Cornus kousa var. chinensis

Chinese dogwood

  • 2 litre pot
  • £29.99
  • available to order from late spring
  • 12 litre pot | 1.0 - 1.25m tall
  • £79.99 £99.99
  • available to order from late spring
Delivery options
  • Standard £5.95
  • Position: full sun to part shade
  • Soil: fertile, humus-rich, well-drained, neutral to acid soil
  • Rate of growth: slow initially, then average
  • Flowering period: May to June
  • Hardiness: fully hardy

    This is a real showstopper of a tree, with two main seasons of interest. Broadly conical in shape, it produces tiny green flowers in June, which are surrounded by showy, creamy-white, petal-like bracts, that fade to lovely shades of pink as they age. In autumn the dark green leaves turn crimson-purple, and mature trees produce strawberry-like fruits. It's an excellent specimen tree for a small garden or woodland edge, and the leaf colour is best in fertile, well-drained, neutral to acid soil.

  • Garden care: Incorporate a good amount of well-rotted leafmould when planting. Requires minimal pruning once established, although as it is naturally low-branching and shrubby, you may need to clear a short, single stem when young. This should be tackled when the plant is fully dormant from autumn to early spring.

Goes well with