White Kousa Dogwood

White Kousa Dogwood is a deciduous Asian dogwood grown for late-spring white bracts, layered branching, autumn color, and mottled exfoliating bark. It grows slowly and changes from an upright young tree to a rounded, spreading form as it matures. ## Form and seasonal display Kousa dogwood can reach about 30 feet tall. Creamy white, pointed bracts appear after native flowering dogwoods have finished blooming, followed by raspberry-like red to pink fruits in late summer and autumn. Dark green leaves turn reddish purple to scarlet before dropping, and mature bark develops tan and brown patches. ## Placement Choose full sun to partial shade, with light afternoon shade helpful in warm sites. Plant in acidic, well-drained soil; the species tolerates some dry soil but not waterlogging. Its rounded canopy works as a specimen or in a shrub border. The NC State Plant Toolbox notes greater resistance to drought, cold, and disease than Cornus florida, and mild resistance to deer browsing. [NC State Extension Plant Toolbox](https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/cornus-kousa/common-name/kousa-dogwood/) ## Maintenance Water during establishment and dry spells. Avoid poorly drained sites, and prune selectively to preserve the layered natural branching. Collect fallen fruit where it may attract insects or create a slippery surface.