Kousa Dogwood

Arbor walk #41, Treekeeper ID #4568

This tree, native to Asia, is known for its four-petaled white flowers in June and its reddish-purple color in fall. It also grows 1″ long edible raspberry-like fruit in August. Although non-native and less well known in the U.S. compared to the Flowering Dogwood (Benthamidia florida), the Kousa Dogwood is advantageously resistant to the disease known as dogwood anthracnose, which the Flowering Dogwood is quite susceptible to.

Common Name	Kousa Dogwood
Latin Name	Cornus kousa
Indigenous Name(s)
Cultivar/Variety
Commercial Name

Global Distribution

Where to find Arbor Walk #41 on WashU campus

Our Kousa Dogwood in space

GPS Coordinates

N/A

Percent Concrete

N/A

Distance to Buildings

Year	Close Building #1	Close Building #2	Close Building #3
2020	Gaylord Music Library, 29.45 m	Blewett House, 55.04 m	Stix International House, 67.53 m

Distance to Other Species

Year	Close Species #1	Close Species # 2	Close Species # 3
2020	Eastern Redbud, 2.83 m	Eastern Redbud, 3.31 m	Eastern Redbud, 5.42 m

Our Kousa Dogwood through time

Standard Measurements

Year	Height (m)	DBH (cm)	Caliper (m)	Crown Diameter N-S (m)	Crown Diameter E-W (m)	Average Crown Diameter (m)
2020	6.8186	9.5	N/A	6.82	7.07	6.45
2023	6.07	13	N/A	4.8	7	5.9

Nests and Pests

Year	Description
2020	One long, split area of exposed wood had several small boreholes, each about 2-5 mm Dark patches of fungus/algae/bacteria visibly speckled throughout exposed wood

How to identify a Kousa Dogwood

Leaf Identification

The leaves of the Kousa Dogwood are elliptically shaped with arcuate veins (curving towards the tip). They are a dark green and turn a burgundy color in the fall.

Leaf of Arbor Walk #41
Underside of Leaf from Arbor Walk #41

Twig and Bud Identification

The twig is red-tinged tan and smooth, with noticeable scars marking previous years’ growth. The terminal bud is a reddish-green flower bud, with two scales making an acute point.

Bud of Arbor Walk #41
Twig of Arbor Walk #41

Bark Identification

The Kousa Dogwood has grayish-brown bark that slightly exfoliates.

Bark of Arbor Walk #41
Trunk of Arbor Walk #41

Fruit Identification

The Kousa Dogwood has 1″ long, raspberry-like fruit. The fruit ripen in late summer.

[photo forthcoming]

Flower Identification

The flowers of the Kousa Dogwood are surrounded by large showy white bracts and are themselves inconspicuous. The entire structure reaches 6″ in diameter.