Growing the Wolf Eyes Kousa Dogwood

Size and Appearance

The Wolf Eyes Kousa Dogwood is a large shrub or small tree, whose ultimate size can vary considerably, depending on the location, growing conditions and where you garden. For some it develops into a compact shrub around 8 feet tall and wide, but in other locations it can become a multi-stem tree, 15 or even 20 feet tall, and just as wide, with the branches developing a graceful, layered look. Choose a location where there will be enough room should it decide to develop fully – a specimen like that deserves a showcase spot.

While waiting for it to mature, you can enjoy the beautiful leaves from day one. These are long, heart-shaped ovals, that are held pendulously, with an undulating edge that creates a unique rippling look. The center of the leaves is a bright green softened by a smokey hint of gray, surrounded by a broad line of creamy white. In fall the leaves turn multiple shades of glowing, smokey pinks, brighter around the edges and more reddish in the center of the leaf. When the leaves fall, feast your eyes on the gorgeous mottled bark, in shades of muted tans, pinks and grays – a great winter feature of this tree.

Around the end of May, and continuing for a full month through June, this tree will bloom. This is 2 or 3 weeks after the American dogwood flowers, so this is a great tree to extend the dogwood season. All along the branches large flowers, 3 or even 4 inches across, open, spreading out 4 leaf-like ‘petals’ around a greenish central knob. Blooming is followed in late summer with strawberry-like red fruits on long stems. These are edible – some say the taste is like papaya – and also attractive to birds.

Using the Wolf Eyes Kousa Dogwood in Your Garden

This gorgeous tree deserves a special spot in your garden. Grow it as a striking lawn specimen, in sun or partial shade, or plant it along the edges of a woodland area. Grow it in a large shrub bed as a backdrop, or plant it on a bank, where the layered branches can be very effective, visually.

Hardiness

You can grow this tree across many zones, from zone 5 to zone 8, or zone 9 in the Northwest. It grows best in areas with cooler, damp summers, and not so well where the weather is hot and dry for long periods.

Sun Exposure and Soil Conditions

In northern zones the Wolf Eyes Kousa Dogwood grows well in full sun, but in other areas some afternoon shade is beneficial, although this variety has better resistance to sun scorch than other variegated kousa dogwoods. It also grows better than most with less light and even in full shade, without any greening or reduction in the bold pattern of variegation. The ideal soil for this plant is rich, moist, well-drained and neutral to acidic. Dry soils and strongly alkaline soils are not so suitable. All soils should be enriched with plenty of lime-free organic material, like rotted leaves or peat moss, Use more as a mulch over the root-zone, avoiding direct contact with the trunk and branches.

Maintenance and Pruning

Because this tree is a variety of kousa dogwood, not of our American dogwood, it has the great advantage of being much more resistant to the deadly anthracnose disease that has killed so many of our native trees. If you love dogwoods but live in an area where this disease is common, then kousa dogwoods are the solution. This tree is generally unbothered by other pests or diseases, including deer, too, so apart from some deep soaks during summer, no other care is needed. It doesn’t need much pruning either – best to let it develop naturally. You can, if you wish, do some training to develop a small number of main trunks – 2 or 3 perhaps – and open up the branching a little, by removing crowded branches while they are still young.

History and Origin of the Wolf Eyes Kousa Dogwood

The Kousa Dogwood, Cornus kousa, was first known in the West from trees brought from Japan and Korea. These proved hard to grow outside their homes, but a variety found later in Western China by the plant collector Ernest Wilson turned out to be more adaptable. This plant, Cornus kousa var. chinensis, is the parent of almost all today’s garden varieties. The variegated variety called ‘Wolf Eyes’ was discovered at the Manor View Nursery in Monkton, Maryland, in 1988. It was a single variegated branch on an unknown variety of kousa dogwood.

Buying the Wolf Eyes Kousa Dogwood at The Tree Center

This unique tree has been recognized by experts as something very special. Dr. Paul Cappiello, the Director of Yew Dell Botanical Gardens in Kentucky, wrote a book with the plant-expert and nurseryman Don Shadow. In it they described this tree as a “true standout” among the best varieties of kousa dogwood available. Yew Dell Gardens gave it their Theodore Klein Plant Award in 2006. These kinds of recommendations mean a lot when choosing that special plant for your garden. Don’t pass up this opportunity to buy the Wolf Eyes Kousa Dogwood, and order now, while our supply remains available – it won’t be for long.

Growing the Tri-Splendor Kousa Dogwood

Size and Appearance

The Tri-Splendor Kousa Dogwood is a large shrub or small tree, growing between 12 and 15 feet tall, with a spread of about 10 feet. In good conditions it will be about 10 feet tall in 5 years, growing more vigorously than many other varieties. When young it is bushy and shrub-like, maturing to a small, multi-stem tree with layering branches. Its mature size is significantly less than many other kousa dogwoods, making it ideal for smaller spaces or smaller gardens. The bark on older stems is a striking winter feature, developing mottled areas of muted oranges, tans and grays. The leaves are 2 to 4 inches long, broad and heart-shaped, with a graceful elongated tip. They are held slightly pendulously, which shows off the amazing variegated patterning. Each leaf has a dark green, jagged, irregular heart, surrounded by a very broad edge that is pure white when the leaf is young, maturing to pale yellow in the summer. The central green heart is often edged with areas of pale lime-green, and each leaf is a unique and beautiful piece of abstract art. In fall the leaves turn to amazing shades of red and pink, making a unique contribution to the fall display.

In late May or early June, 2 or 3 weeks after the flowering of the American dogwood trees, your tree will bloom. It may take a few years of growth before it does so, and if the summer is cool and wet the following year there may be fewer blooms. The flowers are 3 to 4 inches across, with four spreading ‘petals’ (actually modified leaves called bracts) surrounding a central cluster of true flowers, which are small and without petals. The bracts are beautiful shades of white, and uniquely, towards the end of blooming they can become variegated, with a very pale-yellow outer area and a pale green-yellow center. Trees remain in bloom for a full month. After blooming red, strawberry-like fruits may develop in late summer or early fall. These are edible, and they attract wild birds, who enjoy an early-fall treat.

Using the Tri-Splendor Kousa Dogwood in Your Garden

The ideal place for this lovely tree is in an open woodland setting, or as a lawn specimen. It is also beautiful, planted in a border of mixed shrubs and small trees. In warm zones it could also be planted in a large box to decorate a terrace. Smaller than most other kousa dogwoods, it is a top-choice for smaller gardens, or areas where space is limited. Do not plant within 8 feet of a building.

Hardiness

The Tri-Splendor Kousa Dogwood grows well all the way from zone 5 into zone 8. Best growth is in areas with moist summers, as this tree is not especially drought resistant.

Sun Exposure and Soil Conditions

Full sun in cool zones, or afternoon shade everywhere, is ideal for the Tri-Splendor Kousa Dogwood. It also grows very well in the light dappled shade beneath large deciduous trees, without losing its variegated patterning. The ideal soil is rich, moist, well-drained and acidic or neutral. Avoid dry soils and strongly alkaline ones. Enrich the soil with plenty of organic material, and use these materials as mulch over the root zone, avoid direct contact with the trunk.

Maintenance and Pruning

Kousa dogwood varieties are much more resistant to the deadly anthracnose disease that has killed so many of our native flowering dogwoods, and this tree is also generally free of other pest or disease problems, and untouched by deer. Water regularly when young, and give established plants deep soakings during the dry periods of summer. Do not rely on thunderstorms, which often don’t penetrate, especially through a tree canopy. No pruning is needed, but you could prune up some lower branches as it grows to develop a more tree-like form.

History and Origin of the Tri-Splendor Kousa Dogwood

The Kousa Dogwood, Cornus kousa, is a plant first seen by Westerners in Japan and Korea. In 1907 the famous plant collector Ernest Wilson found very similar trees in western China, and these, named Cornus kousa var. chinensis, proved very reliable and best suited for garden growing. Almost all our garden kousa dogwoods are selections of this variety. Crispin Silva is a keen plantsman who runs a small nursery called Crispin’s Creations in Molalla, Oregon. He is famous for developing unique plant varieties. In 2000 he found a unique variegated tree growing in a batch of seedlings of this Chinese variety, and observed it for several years. It grew vigorously and for the three colors of the leaves he named it, ‘Tri-Splendour’. He was granted a patent in 2009.

Buying the Tri-Splendor Dogwood at The Tree Center

The unique tree is the perfect choice for that ‘special something’ that should be in every garden. Bask in the splendor of its every-changing leaf colors and glorious blooms. But order now, because this rare variety is eagerly sought-after by collectors, and won’t be in our stock much longer.

Growing the Samaritan Kousa Dogwood

Size and Appearance

The Samaritan Kousa Dogwood is a small, spreading deciduous tree reaching 15 to 25 feet in height, with a potential spread of 20 feet. It has a broad, vase-shaped form, with branches reaching out in layers, and multiple main branches. In winter you will love the graceful form of this tree against a cold blue sky, and the striking patterns of soft oranges, tans and grays that develop in the shedding bark – a feature not seen in the American dogwood. The broad oval leaves are 2 to 3 inches long, with a graceful drooping tip. They are bold green, and each one is edged with a broad, irregular band of pure white. On some leaves the green areas can be two-tone, in dark and light shades of green. In fall the leaves color spectacularly, turning deep red edges in pink – amazingly beautiful.

If you know the American dogwood you will see that this kousa dogwood flowers 2 to 3 weeks later. It does a wonderful job of stretching out the ‘dogwood season’ in your garden if you already have – or plant – trees of the American dogwood. Once established flowering is profuse, with each flower about 3 inches across, crowded along the branches, adding warm white to the already striking foliage. The ‘flowers’ of dogwood are actually a small cluster of petal-less parts in the center, the rest of what you see is 4 modified leaves called bracts. It is the bracts which are pure white, and you can see their similarity to the leaves. Especially in cooler areas flowering lasts for several weeks, so you really get to enjoy a long season of them. After the bracts fall that central knob of flowers develops into a strawberry-like fruit that will turn red by late summer. These are edible, and some say they taste like papaya. Even if you don’t eat them they make a pretty effect – before the birds take them.

Using the Samaritan Kousa Dogwood in Your Garden

Flowering dogwood trees are under-story trees – that is, they grow naturally beneath larger deciduous trees in forests. So if you have large trees in your garden, or a wooded area, at the edge or in a clearing in such a place is ideal for this tree. In a more open garden it could be planted as a lawn specimen, or as part of the planting around your house. Be sure to allow at least 10 feet from buildings or fences for the ultimate spread of this tree, which can grow about 12 inches a year when young.

Hardiness

The Samaritan Kousa Dogwood is completely hardy and easy to grow across a lot of the country, from zone 5 to zone 8. It does well both in areas with cooler summers, and in the heat of the southeast, but not so well in the Midwest, where the long summer of dry heat is not favorable.

Sun Exposure and Soil Conditions

In most areas the Samaritan Kousa Dogwood will grow well in full sun, but in hot zones a little afternoon shade is ideal. Perhaps an east-facing place edging a wooded area, or a lawn area shaded by large trees in the afternoon. Prepare the soil with plenty of rich organic material – compost, rotted leaves, manures – and use them as mulch over the whole root-zone, without piling it up against the trunk.

Maintenance and Pruning

The Samaritan Kousa Dogwood is more adaptable and a little easier to grow than the American dogwood. Most of all it is resistant to a serious and often deadly disease called anthracnose, that has destroyed thousands of native dogwoods in some areas. The foliage is less likely to become dusty from powdery mildew in the summer, and pests are rare. Deer don’t eat it, and a deep soak from time to time in summer is all it takes for your tree to thrive, once it is established.

History and Origin of the Samaritan Kousa Dogwood

The Kousa Dogwood was first described from plants in Japan and Korea, but later the plant collector Ernest Wilson found a similar tree in China, which became Cornus kousa var. chinensis. Most of the kousa dogwoods grown in gardens are forms of that tree, including this one. James Zampini was a prominent nurseryman and breeder who owned Lake County Nursery, in Perry, Ohio, and we owe this great tree to him. It was probably a seedling, found towards the end of the last century. Mr. Zampini named it ‘Samzam’, and in 2003 the nursery trademarked the name Samaritan for it. It is one of 6 varieties of kousa dogwood James Zampini developed, called his ‘Christian’ Series, all with names linked to the Bible.

Buying the Samaritan Dogwood at The Tree Center

This spectacular tree has five points of interest (count ‘em!) so it sells five times as fast. We can never keep our dogwoods in stock for long, and named varieties like this are so superior to the seedlings often sold in big-box stores and garden centers. Order now, while we can still satisfy your order.

Growing the Blue Ray Kousa Dogwood

Size and Appearance

The Blue Ray Kousa Dogwood is a deciduous flowering tree that has an enhanced growth rate, developing more quickly than almost any other variety. It won’t be long before you have a wonderful spreading tree approaching 20 feet in height, with a similar spread. So when choosing where to feature it in your garden, don’t forget to look up for overhead wires, and don’t plant closer than 10 feet from your home or your property line. This tree forms a multi-stem spreading dome, with a low central trunk quickly branching into several main stems. The rounded crown and outward-spreading branches make a beautiful profile, and even without leaves the arrangement of the winter twigs is truly beautiful. Combined with the mottled bark on older branches, that blends soft grays, tans and orange-browns in a camouflage pattern, you have a great winter feature too. The unique leaves are larger than is usual, reaching 4 inches in length and 3 inches across. They are somewhat heart-shaped, with a smooth edge and an elegant pointed tip. It is the special blue-green coloring that makes this tree so eye-catching, though, and the glossy surface, so different from the dull, ‘plain-Jane’ green of other flowering dogwoods.

While our native dogwood blooms early, in April, Kousa dogwoods bloom about 3 weeks later, usually in May. Even if you have the native tree, this one will keep you in dogwood blooms weeks after they are finished. Plus, the blooming season is long, lasting up to 6 weeks, a real bonus. The blooms begin a pale greenish-white, maturing to a beautiful ivory-white, with four petals and a span of 4 inches across – a huge and very showy bloom. Flowering on an established tree is so profuse the leaves are almost hidden, and in the Blue Ray Kousa Dogwood the leaves turn back just a little, hugging the stems, so that when in flower the blooms are more conspicuous and even more showy than normal. Following blooming, large strawberry-like fruits form, adding yet another point of beauty for this wonderful tree. You can eat them, but they don’t have much to offer, so just leave them for the birds to enjoy.

Using the Blue Ray Kousa Dogwood in Your Garden

As a specimen tree, the Blue Ray Kousa Dogwood offers more than just about any other flowering tree can. Plant it on a lawn, or along the edge of wooded areas, where it will thrive. Grow it near your home to enjoy its glory, and with the knowledge that it will still look great when not in bloom.

Hardiness

The Blue Ray Kousa Dogwood grows across much of the country, from zone 5 into zone 8. It doesn’t do well in areas like the south-west or out on the Prairies, because long dry summers are not really suitable for it.

Sun Exposure and Soil Conditions

Morning sun and afternoon shade are ideal, and in northern areas it will take full sun. Light dappled shade beneath trees is also possible, if it isn’t too dark. The ideal soil is well-drained but moist, and preferably neutral or slightly acidic. Use plenty of organic material when planting, and as annual mulch over the roots. That really makes a difference to your success with this tree.

Maintenance and Pruning

Regular watering, especially when young, is another key to success. Moderate drought resistance is shown by well-established trees, but even they enjoy a deep summer soak. Mulch over the root system in spring and remove any dead branches at the same time. That’s it – the rewards far outweigh the work. While our native dogwoods suffer from destructive canker diseases, this Kousa dogwood is far more resistant and much easier to grow.

History and Origin of the Blue Ray Kousa Dogwood

The Kousa dogwood, Cornus kousa var. chinensis, is, as the name suggests, the Chinese form of a tree also found growing in Japan and Korea. For gardens it is widely considered superior to our native tree, Cornus florida, chiefly for its disease resistance. It is widely produced, and back in 2011 Ray Jackson was working at his wholesale nursery in Belvidere, Tennessee. He spotted a unique-looking seedling that seemed to have sprouted up among his Kousa dogwoods. He really liked the unique glossy, bluish foliage and the great vigor of the tree, which was growing rapidly. After examining it in growth for a few years he decided to share it. In 2018 he patented it with the name of ‘JN6’ and arranged to release it with the trademark name of Blue Ray, under the well-respected Garden Debut® brand of the Greenleaf Nursery Company.

Buying the Blue Ray Kousa Dogwood at the Tree Center

We love the year-round beauty of this great new tree – and we know you will too. All our trees are grafted from stem pieces derived from that original unique plant, so you know you get exactly the same thing, not a cheaper seedling. Order now – good things don’t stay long around our farm.

The Milky Way Kousa Dogwood grows into a broad tree, 20 feet tall and wide. When planting, be sure to allow enough room for that spread, and plant at least 12 feet from walls or other obstructions. When young it will have a central trunk, but as it matures it develops several major limbs, and a very graceful form, with broad, flat layers of branches spreading outwards. The bark in winter is attractive, since on older limbs and the trunk it forms plates that shed in an irregular way, creating mottled colors of tans, oranges and soft grays, in a ‘camouflage’ fashion. The leaves are gracefully formed, broad and tapering to an elegant tip. They are a rich green, and in fall they take on brilliant reds, oranges and golds, that rival the best maples and oaks – if this was all the tree did it would be totally worth growing.

That fall coloring is fantastic, but its just a bonus compared with the spectacular flowering of this tree. It comes into bloom 2 or 3 weeks after the American flowering dogwood, so if you already have that, this flowering tree is great for extending the dogwood season in your garden. The large flowers, which are in reality modified leaves called ‘bracts’, are broad and flat, up to 4 inches across, and each of the four ‘petals’ tapers to a point. They are a gorgeous creamy-white color, and flowering, even on young trees, is so profuse that the leaves are almost completely hidden. A tree in bloom is one of those seasonal treats that makes gardening so very worthwhile, and blooming lasts almost a whole month. In the center of each ‘flower’ is a small greenish cluster of the true flowers, which have no petals. Once the bracts fall the flowers develop into a round fruit, about 1-inch across. This hangs on a long stalk, and turns red, looking like a strange strawberry, and these decorate the tree beautifully in late summer and fall. They are edible, but insipid and uninteresting. They become a valuable winter food for wild birds, and all too soon they will be gone.

Grow the Milky Way Kousa Dogwood as a specimen tree on a lawn – it has something to offer in all seasons, and its graceful charms will captivate you. Plant it on the eastern edge of a wooded area, or at the back of a large shrub bed. In larger spaces a cluster of 3 or even 5 trees would be glorious. Use it on the eastern side of your home, against a blank wall, or in a corner, allowing enough room for its final size when planting. It would look lovely by a pond, steam or lake, and the damper soil and cool air there would help it grow well. An avenue of trees flanking a long driveway would be simply amazing, but even if you have a smaller garden, try to find a place for this lovely tree, you will never regret it.

You might see from these suggestions that the Milky Way Kousa Dogwood grows best in full sun or partial shade. Full sun is suitable in cooler zones, and in hotter ones afternoon shade is appreciated. It is hardy in zones 5 to 8 and it grows well across most of the country, with the exception of the Prairies and south-west, where the summers are too hot and dry for it perform well. The ideal soil is moist, rich in organic material, and well-drained. Using plenty of rotted compost when planting, and every year or two as a mulch over the roots, will make a big difference to the performance of this plant in your garden. The soil should be acid to neutral, and alkaline soils are not so suitable. Regular watering is helpful in summer, even for well-established trees. On the upside, pruning and trimming are not needed, or advised, as the natural form of this tree is the best one. Just remove any smaller branches that may have died, and let your tree grow as it chooses.

The disease dogwood anthracnose (caused by the fungus Discula destructiva) has devastated natural areas where the native American dogwood, Cornus florida, grows. This disease has also spread to ornamental trees in gardens, particularly in the northeast. It is a great relief to know that the Milky Way Kousa Dogwood has good resistance to this fatal disease. As well, native trees are prone to develop the unsightly gray powdery leaf covering of powdery mildew, but your tree will also be resistant to that. Other pests and diseases are of little consequence, and deer normally leave this tree alone. Once you have a good location in suitable soil, there is little else to do to make your tree thrive and grow.

The Milky Way Kousa Dogwood is a selected garden variety of the kousa dogwood, Cornus kousa var. chinensis. That tree grows in China, and it is a form of a tree from Japan and Korea, so it is sometimes called the Asian dogwood. In the 1960s nursery growers at Wayside Gardens, then based in Menton, Ohio, decided to look for superior forms of this tree, which at that time was grown mostly from seed. They raised a large batch of seeds and selected the best 15, for superior form and prolific blooming. These plants were named ‘Milky Way’, and stem pieces from all of them were grafted onto seedling roots to produce trees. These plants are vastly superior to unnamed varieties just called ‘kousa dogwood’, and it always pays to grow the best. This tree has big ‘name recognition’ among gardeners, so the demand is always high, and regularly outstrips our ability to source supplies. You should order now, because we can’t guarantee when we will next have stock available – don’t miss out.

The Red Flowering Dogwood Tree grows quickly when young, and you will soon have a beautiful specimen. In time it will grow between 15 and 30 feet tall, depending on your soil and climate, and the tree’s location. It has a rounded crown, and you can allow it to grow naturally into a multi-stem tree, or train it to just one or two main trunks. It will normally be as wide as it is tall, or even wider, and in an open location it will grow wider than it will if it is surrounded by other trees. The branches develop into a beautiful layered structure, and in flower, or just in leaf, this is always a beautiful, graceful, and elegant tree – one of the best. When choosing a planting spot, take its final size into account. Don’t plant beneath wires, or crowd it up against a building or a fence. Give it plenty of room and allow at least 10 feet from the trunk to your home, a fence, your property line, or any other potential obstructions.

The beauty of the Red Flowering Dogwood begins in spring, when the flowers emerge on the bare branches. Each blossom is 3 to 4 inches across, with four broad petals. These are actually modified leaves, called ‘bracts’, not flower parts. You can see the true flowers, sitting in a cluster in the middle between the bracts. They are small and greenish, with no petals. The ‘flowers’ cluster all along the branches, and every year will see more and more blooms, until the branches are hidden by their profusion. Flowering lasts a full 3 to 4 weeks, and then, as the leaves begin to emerge, the flowers fade and the bracts fall. The flowers then develop into a cluster of green berries, which turn red by late summer and fall. They are harmless to eat, but unpleasant. Wild birds love them, though, and they will soon be taken, providing a valuable fall food source for your neighborhood birds.

The leaves of the Red Flowering Dogwood are heart-shaped, and up to 6 inches long and 3 inches wide, with a long, tapering tip. They are slightly hairy when they first appear, but soon become smooth and a little glossy. They are a rich green all summer, looking beautiful, and then in fall this tree puts on its second big performance of the year, when the leaves turn rich shades of red, from deep red to bright scarlet. Even in winter it is attractive, with the delicate tracery of the branches spread out in the cold, or perhaps highlighted by falling snow.

The Red Flowering Dogwood is hardy through zone 5, and it grows well in all the warmer zones, so it can be grown almost anywhere in the country, outside of the coldest areas. It should be planted in full sun, or in partial shade, and it grows best in rich, moist, slightly acidic soil. In practice this is a vigorous tree that will grow well in all soils except for very alkaline ones, so it can be grown almost anywhere. In warmer zones some afternoon shade is valuable, and more sun and a protected location are ideal in colder zones. Use mulch over the roots, keeping it away from the trunks, to conserve moisture and keep the soil cool. Water regularly, and deeply, during dry spells, although established trees are moderately drought tolerant. This tree has some pests and diseases, but if planted in a well-lit spot, and watered properly, it will grow well, and usually be free of problems. If you live in an area with a high risk of dogwood anthracnose, we recommend you grow the Kousa Dogwood, or a disease-resistant hybrid dogwood instead. Check our current selection, we only carry the best varieties.

The Red Flowering Dogwood is a selected form of the native flowering dogwood, Cornus florida. That tree grows all the way from Massachusetts to northern Florida and west into Texas. Virginia, Missouri and North Carolina have all made it their state tree. Wild trees are found growing mostly along the edges of forests and in clearings, and their spring display is a big event in areas where there are many trees growing wild. Those trees are all white flowering, but over the years gardeners and nurserymen have selected varieties with colorful flowers, and this is one of the best if you want rich, red blooms. These trees are always in high demand, and that will peak when they are in bloom, so order now, while these trees are still available, and enjoy those beautiful red blossoms in your own garden.

The Constellation® Flowering Dogwood is an upright flowering tree that grows around 20 feet tall. Most flowering dogwood trees are at least as broad as they are tall, but this one is more slender, spreading to only 15 feet wide when mature, and considerably less in its early years. This means that it will slip into spaces where other trees of this type will become too large. Perhaps you have a spot in the angle of two walls, or a limited place between other large trees in your garden. Perhaps you want it as a lawn specimen, but the lawn is a little small. Whatever the reason – or just for its natural more slender grace – this tree is simply gorgeous. The branches remain low, so it always has a beautiful profile, and the flowers show well, not hidden on high branches above a bare trunk. Planted among other dogwoods, the more slender profile makes for an attractive contrast. The bark is handsome, with flaking and peeling pieces revealing ever-changing patterns of grays and tans, adding to the winter interest of your garden.

The leaves of the Constellation Flowering Dogwood are graceful, broad ovals, with a slender pointed tip. They are 3 to 5 inches long, with an attractive density and a deep green color. In fall they turn rich shades of deep reds and purples, making a wonderful display in your garden, and adding to the beauty of that special season. Flowering comes just after the American dogwood, and before the Asian dogwood, so this tree neatly bridges the time between them. It flowers after the leaves, but the flowering is so profuse that the leaves are mostly obscured by the large blooms. The ‘petals’ of the flowers are really modified leaves called ‘bracts’, and they are heart-shaped, with a long tapering point, making a four-pointed white star 5 inches across. The bracts in this tree are well-spaced, and not overlapping, emphasizing the star-like appearance. The true flowers are a small, greenish cluster of petal-less flowers in the center of the bracts, making the bright-point of the star. As often happens with hybrid plants, no fruit or seeds are produced by this tree. A tree in bloom is a glorious thing, and you will just love the beauty this tree brings to your garden. Flowering typically runs through the second-half of May, but that will vary a little depending on your location and the local weather each year.

The Constellation Flowering Dogwood is hardy in zones 6, 7 and 8. It can also be planted in sheltered spots in warmer parts of zone 5. For colder parts of zone 5 we recommend the Kousa Dogwood and its varieties. It grows best in moist but well-drained soil, which should be enriched with plenty of organic material, like garden compost, rotted leaves or even peat moss. This tree prefers soils that are acid to neutral, and alkaline soils, which are found, for example, in areas where limestone occurs, are not so suitable. Areas with moist, humid summers are best for dogwoods, and hot, dry summers like those on the Prairies or in the Mountain states are not so suitable for them. Even mature trees should be watered during longer dry-spells in the summer. This tree is highly resistant to the unsightly leaf disease called powdery mildew, and even more importantly, to the deadly disease called anthracnose, which has killed so many American flowering dogwoods, especially in the north-east. Other pests are not normally problems, and deer usually leave this tree alone.

The Constellation Flowering Dogwood is a hybrid tree created by Professor Elwin R. Orton, Jr., a biologist and plant breeder at Rutgers University, in New Jersey. Seeing the devastation caused by anthracnose on the American dogwood, he wanted to create new, disease-resistant trees. He began a long breeding program which produced the Stellar Series, and some other varieties as well. In the early 1970s Professor Orton took pollen from a plant of a variety of the American dogwood, Cornus florida `Cherokee Princess` and used it to pollinate a seed-grown plant of the Asian dogwood, Cornus kousa. He grew the seedlings for several years before selecting one particular tree. After testing it for almost 20 years, to ensure it was disease resistant and reliable, he patented it in 1990 with the name ‘Rutcan’. The patent was owned by Rutgers University, and the proceeds went to further research and breeding. That patent expired in 2010. This tree has always been sold with the registered trademark name of Constellation®. This great tree is reproduced by taking stem pieces and attaching them to the roots of seedling dogwoods, and not from seed. In that way the exact characteristics are transmitted without any change. With the spread of anthracnose, resistant varieties of flowering dogwood like this one are in high demand, so order your trees right away, as our limited stock will soon be gone.

Growing the Pink Kousa Dogwood

Size and Appearance

The Pink Kousa Dogwood develops into a graceful small tree, reaching 15 or 20 feet in height, with a similar spread. It begins with a single trunk, but later develops multiple main branches, spreading into a broad vase-shaped plant, with layering foliage and spreading branches. It can become wider than it is tall. Even in winter this tree is beautiful, with the delicate tracery of the branches against the sky, and the main trunk and limbs developing beautiful patterns of gray, soft tan and muted oranges, as sections of the bark are shed in irregular patches. The leaves are dark green with a mat surface, and they are broad, tapering to a graceful tip. Leaves are between 2 and 3½ inches long, and 1 to 2 inches across at the widest point. In fall the leaves turn stunning shades of yellows, oranges, and reds, challenging the best colors of the red and sugar maples. If your garden is too small for a maple, but you love fall color, then this tree is the answer for you.

The Pink Kousa Dogwood flowers 2 or 3 weeks after our native dogwood, so it extends the ‘dogwood’ season beautifully. So, add one to your garden, even if you already grow the American flowering dogwood. The flowers are so profuse that the leaves are almost completely hidden, and each one is 2 to 4 inches across. The ‘flowers’ of all flowering dogwoods are actually 4 modified leaves, called ‘bracts’, surrounding a central cluster of tiny flowers without petals. Each bract is broad and flat, and almost round, with a small pointed tip. These bracts are attractive over several weeks, giving a long flowering season, especially in cooler weather. The exact shade of pink you see on your tree depends on your local climate, your soil and growing conditions, and where in your garden you place it. Plants in cooler conditions, with good moisture, will be darker pink, and if the weather turns hot and dry, they will be lighter pink. The color tends to darken, rather than fade, as the flowers age. Each year the colors may be different, but they will always be beautiful, and seeing exactly how your tree will look each year adds to the excitement of the blooming season.

When the blooms fade the central cluster of true flowers, which were greenish during ‘flowering’, grows into a strawberry-like red fruit on a long stalk. These decorate the tree from late summer into fall, and they are edible, but not very tasty. Eventually, they provide useful winter food for local birds. All in all, something interesting is always happening with this tree, so it really is a great garden addition.

Hardiness

The Pink Kousa Dogwood will grow well in zones 5 to 8, over a large part of the country. It grows well in the northeast, the northwest, and the southeast, but it is a little trickier in the Midwest and in areas with long periods of dry heat.

Sun Exposure and Soil Conditions

This tree prefers richer soils, with plenty of organic material in them, and the soil should be moist but well-drained. Even mature trees appreciate water during extended dry periods, and young trees should be watered regularly in the summer. Acidic or neutral soil is preferred, and very alkaline soils are not so suitable. Full sun is accepted if the soil is moist, but in hotter zones locations with afternoon shade are preferred. Places like the east-facing edge of a wooded area are ideal locations, or out on a lawn with afternoon shade from nearby larger trees.

Despite what sounds like a lot of restrictions, this tree is more adaptable and forgiving than the American dogwood. If you have had trouble growing that tree, give this one a try – you will probably be very happy with the result. A very valuable feature of this tree, as compared to our native flowering dogwood, Cornus florida, is that the foliage is resistant to powdery mildew. Even more importantly, this tree is resistant to anthracnose, a serious and lethal disease that has decimated dogwoods in many parts of the country. Other pests and diseases are usually not problems, and deer normally leave these trees alone.

History and Origin of the Pink Kousa Dogwood

The Pink Kousa Dogwood is a very special form of the kousa dogwood, Cornus kousa var. chinensis, which is the Chinese form of a tree that was first described from Japan and Korea. The pink-flowering variety called ‘Miss Satomi’ was named after the granddaughter of the Japanese nurseryman who found this plant, perhaps as a seedling. We don’t know when that was, but the tree arrived in the West during the 1980s. It is also sometimes called simply ‘Satomi’, ‘Rosabella’ and ‘New Red’. These are all the same tree, which was awarded the coveted Award of Garden Merit by the Royal Horticultural Society of the UK, in 1991.

Buying the Pink Dogwood at The Tree Center

Pink blooms are much rarer in the Kousa Dogwood than in the American dogwood, and this is an outstanding tree. Our stock of trees like this always sells fast, so order right away, as they will be gone very soon.

The Coral Flowering Dogwood Tree is a medium-size tree that grows quickly into a spreading tree about 15 feet tall. In time it can reach 30 feet tall and even more wide, so allow plenty of room for its final spread when planting. This tree does not transplant well, so choose its spot carefully, considering overhead wires and surrounding obstructions. Such a beautiful tree deserves plenty of room to show off in. It will naturally develop into a tree with several main trunks, but with a little trimming you can retain a single trunk, or just two or three main trunks.

The annual show begins in April, when the flowers grow on the bare branches, before the leaves appear. These look like large blossoms with four petals, up to 4 inches across, but in fact they are modified leaves, called ‘bracts’, that look like petals but are not. You will see the true flowers as a cluster of greenish buds in the center of the ‘flower’, and they are small, without petals. In this beautiful variety the blooms are a rich coral-red, making an exquisite display in any garden. Grow this tree as a lawn specimen, or plant it around your home. Grow it at the back of your garden beds, or as an avenue along a driveway. Use a pair to frame a door or gate, or plant it in a natural setting at the edge of woodlands, or in clearings. Wherever you grow it you will love its remarkable and unique beauty.

As the blossoms fade – they remain showy for up to 4 weeks – the leaves emerge. These are between 4 and 6 inches long, and 3 inches wide, and they are gracefully heart-shaped, with pronounced veins and a slightly glossy surface once they are mature. They create a lovely summer mood, and within a few years the branches develop an elegant layered effect, which displays both the flowers and the foliage in a beautiful fashion. Then in fall the leaves turn to wonderful shades of deep red and scarlets, rivalling any other fall tree available. During summer you will see small green fruits that have developed from the true flowers. In late summer and early fall these turn red – they are not edible, but not poisonous either. Birds love them and they will soon be gone.

Plant the Coral Flowering Dogwood Tree in full sun or partial shade. Avoid planting in deeper shade, which can encourage the development of disease. Full sun is best in all but the hottest zones, where some afternoon shade will prevent scorching. The ideal soil is rich, moist, slightly acidic and well-drained, but this adaptable tree will grow in most garden soils that are not very alkaline. Use mulch over the root ball to conserve moisture, and water deeply during dry periods. If planted in good light, and with regular watering, this tree is unlikely to develop diseases, but if you live in an area with a high incidence of dogwood anthracnose in trees around you, we recommend you plant the Kousa Dogwood, or a hybrid dogwood – these trees are resistant to disease. Check our selection of dogwood trees to see which top-rated disease-resistant varieties we have available at this time.

The Coral Flowering Dogwood Tree is a selected form of the American dogwood, Cornus florida. This tree does indeed grow in Florida, but it is found all through the south-east, as far north as Massachusetts, and into Texas. It grows in sunny areas in forest clearings, and around the edges of forests. Wild trees have white blooms, but there are selected forms for gardens in many shades of pink and red. This particular tree is renowned for its unique coral blooms, a gorgeous color you will love to have in your garden. These beautiful flowering dogwoods are always in high demand, and the supply is always limited. Order now, while our stocks last, and join the ranks of gardeners who enjoy the unique spring and fall beauty of these wonderful native trees.