top of page
Cornus kousa
Bürger ex Hance
Kousa Dogwood
Cornaceae
Cornus kousa is a deciduous tree species in the family Cornaceae. It is native to East Asia, and is commonly cultivated and has escaped elsewhere. The fruits are edible.
Description
Cornus kousa is a deciduous small tree, growing up to 10 m, flowering when 2 m tall. Leaves are oppositely arranged; the blade is elliptic to ovate in outline, 5 to 8 cm long and 2 to 5 cm wide, with a cuneate (wedge-shaped) base and a narrow-tapering tip, on a petiole 5 to 12 mm long. The margin lacks teeth but is somewhat wavy. Leaves are dark green above and pale green below, with appressed hairs on both sides. On either side of the main vein are 4 to 6 pairs of lateral veins that are curved forward. The bark is mottled gray and tan, flaking off into thin plates. Inflorescences are produced between April and July, and are showy; what appears to be one flower is actually four petal-like bracts surrounding a central, round inflorescence. The inflorescence is 0.9 to 1.4 cm in diameter, with 40 to 75 small flowers, on a peduncle 4 to 6 cm long. Individual flowers have small sepals and four small greenish petals about 3 to 4 mm long. The bracts are white or yellow-tinged, ovate to rhombic, 4 to 7 cm long and 3 to 6 cm long, with a wedge-shaped base and a pointed tip. The flowers’ ovaries fuse and develop into a syncarp (a multiple fruit) that between August and October; the syncarp is red, spherical, about 2 to 2.7 cm wide, with seeds about 7 to 9 mm long (FNAEC 2016).
Cornus kousa is a member of the subgenus Syncarpaea, which are trees with large petal-like bracts and drupes fusing to form a syncarp. In North America, it may be confused with flowering dogwood (Cornus florida) and Pacific dogwood (Cornus nuttallii) of the subgenus Cynoxylon, but those species have distinct drupes. C. florida is further distinguished by its blocky bark and bracts with rounded or notched tips, while C. nuttallii is distinguished by having 4 to 6 bracts per inflorescence, and its range (it is found in the Pacific Northwest) (FNAEC 2016). The other species of subgenus Syncarpaea, native to Asia, are more similar, but Cornus hongkongensis, C. elliptica, and C. capitata are evergreen with leathery leaves. Cornus multinervosa, native to Yunnan and Sichuan provinces, has more pairs of lateral veins extending farther, and seeds with scattered red spots (Wu et al. 2005). Cornus sunhangii, endemic to Mêdog County, Tibet, has longer leaves and larger syncarps, 7 cm in diameter (Lv et al. 2019).
There are two subspecies of Cornus kousa; the main subspecies kousa has thinner leaves than subspecies chinensis. Subspecies chinensis has also peduncles with expanded circular bases, while kousa does not (Wu et al. 2005). Artificial (and sterile) Cornus kousa hybrids with Cornus florida and C. nuttallii have been produced; the hybrids are named Cornus × rutgersensis and Cornus × elwinortonii, respectively, and are intermediate in morphology between the parent species (Mattera et al. 2015).
Cornus kousa is a member of the subgenus Syncarpaea, which are trees with large petal-like bracts and drupes fusing to form a syncarp. In North America, it may be confused with flowering dogwood (Cornus florida) and Pacific dogwood (Cornus nuttallii) of the subgenus Cynoxylon, but those species have distinct drupes. C. florida is further distinguished by its blocky bark and bracts with rounded or notched tips, while C. nuttallii is distinguished by having 4 to 6 bracts per inflorescence, and its range (it is found in the Pacific Northwest) (FNAEC 2016). The other species of subgenus Syncarpaea, native to Asia, are more similar, but Cornus hongkongensis, C. elliptica, and C. capitata are evergreen with leathery leaves. Cornus multinervosa, native to Yunnan and Sichuan provinces, has more pairs of lateral veins extending farther, and seeds with scattered red spots (Wu et al. 2005). Cornus sunhangii, endemic to Mêdog County, Tibet, has longer leaves and larger syncarps, 7 cm in diameter (Lv et al. 2019).
There are two subspecies of Cornus kousa; the main subspecies kousa has thinner leaves than subspecies chinensis. Subspecies chinensis has also peduncles with expanded circular bases, while kousa does not (Wu et al. 2005). Artificial (and sterile) Cornus kousa hybrids with Cornus florida and C. nuttallii have been produced; the hybrids are named Cornus × rutgersensis and Cornus × elwinortonii, respectively, and are intermediate in morphology between the parent species (Mattera et al. 2015).
Uses
Note: Please see the disclaimer regarding any information about medical or edible uses.
Cornus kousa and its cultivars and hybrids are popular as ornamental trees, with conspicuous flower clusters, reddish fruit and fall color, and attractive winter bark. It prefers medium moisture and rich, humusy soils, and full sun to part shade. It grows in USDA zones 5 to 8 (MBG).
The fruit of Cornus kousa is edible and sweet; they are sometimes used in making wine. It is used in traditional Korean medicine to treat diarrhea and bleeding (Tenuta et al. 2022).
The fruit of Cornus kousa is edible and sweet; they are sometimes used in making wine. It is used in traditional Korean medicine to treat diarrhea and bleeding (Tenuta et al. 2022).
Distribution
Cornus kousa is found in woods, valleys, slopes, and along streams and roads, at altitudes of 400 to 2200 m, at least in China. Subspecies kousa is native to Japan and Korea, while subspecies chinensis is native to China and Taiwan, from Inner Mongolia south to Sichuan and possibly Yunnan provinces, east to Zhejiang and Jiangsu provinces (Wu et al. 2005). In the United States, it has occasionally become naturalized, such as in New York, New Jersey, Connecticut (Kartesz 2015), and North Carolina (FNAEC 2016).
Status
Cornus kousa is listed on the IUCN Red List as “Least Concern”, because it is widespread with a large population, and its population is not known to be decreasing or facing any significant threats (BGCI and GTSG 2019).
References
BGCI (Botanic Gardens Conservation International), and GTSG (IUCN SSC Global Tree Specialist Group). 2018. Cornus kousa. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species https://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2018-2.RLTS.T130048568A130048571.en.
FNAEC (Flora of North America Editorial Committee), editor. 2016. Flora of North America, north of Mexico. Volume 12: Magnoliophyta: Vitaceae to Garryaceae. New York: Oxford University Press.
Kartesz, J. T., The Biota of North America Program (BONAP). 2015. North American Plant Atlas. (http://bonap.net/napa). Chapel Hill, N.C. [maps generated from Kartesz, J.T. 2015. Floristic Synthesis of North America, Version 1.0. Biota of North America Program (BONAP). (in press)].
Lv, Z.-Y., Huang, X.-H., Zhang, X., Yusupov, Z., Wang H.-C., Tojibaev, K., Deng, T, Li Z.-M. 2019. Cornus sunhangii (Cornaceae), a new species from Tibet (China). Phytotaxa, 409: 273–282.
Mattera, R., Molnar, T., and Struwe, L. 2015. Cornus x elwinortonii and Cornus x rutgersensis (Cornaceae), new names for two artificially produced hybrids of big-bracted dogwoods. PhytoKeys, 55: 93–111.
MBG (Missouri Botanical Garden), Cornus kousa. Plant Finder. [accessed 2022 Aug 16]. https://www.missouribotanicalgarden.org/PlantFinder/PlantFinderDetails.aspx?kempercode=j910
Tenuta, M. C., Deguin, B., Loizzo, M. R., Cuyamendous, C., Bonesi, M., Sicari, V., Trabalzini, L., Mitaine-Offer, A.-C., Xiao, J., Tundis, R. 2022. An Overview of Traditional Uses, Phytochemical Compositions and Biological Activities of Edible Fruits of European and Asian Cornus Species. Foods, 11: 1240.
Wu, Z. Y., Raven, P. H., and Hong, D. Y., eds. 2005. Flora of China. Vol. 14 (Apiaceae through Ericaceae). Beijing: Science Press, and St. Louis: Missouri Botanical Garden Press.
FNAEC (Flora of North America Editorial Committee), editor. 2016. Flora of North America, north of Mexico. Volume 12: Magnoliophyta: Vitaceae to Garryaceae. New York: Oxford University Press.
Kartesz, J. T., The Biota of North America Program (BONAP). 2015. North American Plant Atlas. (http://bonap.net/napa). Chapel Hill, N.C. [maps generated from Kartesz, J.T. 2015. Floristic Synthesis of North America, Version 1.0. Biota of North America Program (BONAP). (in press)].
Lv, Z.-Y., Huang, X.-H., Zhang, X., Yusupov, Z., Wang H.-C., Tojibaev, K., Deng, T, Li Z.-M. 2019. Cornus sunhangii (Cornaceae), a new species from Tibet (China). Phytotaxa, 409: 273–282.
Mattera, R., Molnar, T., and Struwe, L. 2015. Cornus x elwinortonii and Cornus x rutgersensis (Cornaceae), new names for two artificially produced hybrids of big-bracted dogwoods. PhytoKeys, 55: 93–111.
MBG (Missouri Botanical Garden), Cornus kousa. Plant Finder. [accessed 2022 Aug 16]. https://www.missouribotanicalgarden.org/PlantFinder/PlantFinderDetails.aspx?kempercode=j910
Tenuta, M. C., Deguin, B., Loizzo, M. R., Cuyamendous, C., Bonesi, M., Sicari, V., Trabalzini, L., Mitaine-Offer, A.-C., Xiao, J., Tundis, R. 2022. An Overview of Traditional Uses, Phytochemical Compositions and Biological Activities of Edible Fruits of European and Asian Cornus Species. Foods, 11: 1240.
Wu, Z. Y., Raven, P. H., and Hong, D. Y., eds. 2005. Flora of China. Vol. 14 (Apiaceae through Ericaceae). Beijing: Science Press, and St. Louis: Missouri Botanical Garden Press.
Description
bottom of page