Trees & woodland lore · Western North Carolina field companion
Kousa dogwood
Cornus kousa
Whole tree — Cornus kousa. Species reference; the photographed specimen does not confirm the named variety. Age, pruning, and site affect its shape.☀ Full sun · ◐ Part sun or part shadeJim Janke ↗ · CC BY 4.0Photo contextResized and converted to WebP; full original composition retained.
Problems to recognize in WNC gardens. These are documented susceptibilities, not a local outbreak report or a diagnosis. Weather, elevation and growing conditions change the risk.
Diseases & similar-looking injury
Generally less disease-prone than flowering dogwood and relatively resistant to dogwood anthracnose. Leaf spots, mildew and cankers can still occur.
Insects to recognize
Scale and dogwood borer are possible; watch for sticky leaves and trunk injury.
When to look
Check leaves during humid summer weather and the lower trunk during routine garden visits.
A useful first step
Avoid wet, poorly drained sites and trunk wounds. Investigate repeated leaf loss or branch dieback.
More growing details
Read the leaves
Simple opposite leaves have arching side veins. Check the bracts and fruit for separation from flowering dogwood.
Read the bark
Older bark may flake into tan and gray patches.
Fruit & seed
Many flowers fuse into one bumpy, rounded fruit suspended on a stalk.
Winter character
Opposite branching and mottled older bark support a winter comparison.
Origin & place
An introduced garden species or horticultural hybrid; study it as part of WNC landscapes rather than assume it belongs to the native mountain flora.
WNC Notes
Generally more disease-tolerant than flowering dogwood; exfoliating bark and fruit add interest.
Sun Exposure
Full sun–part shade
MATURE HEIGHT (FT)
20–30
MATURE WIDTH (FT)
15–30
BLOOM SEASON
Late spring–early summer
BLOOM COLOR
White bracts
FALL / WINTER COLOR
Red-purple
Wet-Soil Tolerance
Moderate
Drought Tolerance
Moderate
LOOK CLOSELY
Two views, a closer look.
Place two photographs beside one another. Compare the overall plant with leaves, flowers, or bark when those views are available. Captions identify what each photograph actually shows. Images are not at the same scale; species references may show different cultivars.
Whole tree — Cornus kousa. Species reference; the photographed specimen does not confirm the named variety. Age, pruning, and site affect its shape.☀ Full sun · ◐ Part sun or part shadeJim Janke ↗ · CC BY 4.0Photo contextResized and converted to WebP; full original composition retained.Species reference; does not confirm the named variety. Photograph subject: Kousa dogwood fall foliage reddish-purple☀ Full sun · ◐ Part sun or part shadeCindy Christian ↗ · CC BY 4.0Photo contextResized and converted to WebP; full original composition retained.Cornus kousa back leaves veins. Taxon reference; photograph alone does not establish a named cultivar.☀ Full sun · ◐ Part sun or part shadeKathleen Moore ↗ · CC BY 2.0Photo contextResized and converted to WebP; no diagnostic content altered.Cornus kousa bark — species reference; cultivar identity not inferred.☀ Full sun · ◐ Part sun or part shadeKathleen Moore ↗ · CC BY 2.0Photo contextResized and converted to WebP; full original composition retained.Fruit - Fall - Moore Co., NC — species reference; cultivar identity not inferred.☀ Full sun · ◐ Part sun or part shadeCathy DeWitt ↗ · CC BY 4.0Photo contextResized and converted to WebP; full original composition retained.
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