tree diagram designation is a journeying . You commence with feature that are clear , unique , and easy to spot , like the ginkgo tree diagram ’s leaves , the London planetree ’s skin bark , or the American sweetgum ’s spiked seed pod . As you go along , though , it ’s easy to spot groups of mintage — that ’s a magnolia , that looks like an oak tree , I wager that ’s a maple — but it ’s hard to calculate out which species each one is . This is the first episode of our new serial publication , Which is Which ? , which is stand for to reply that very question ! We ’ll set out with the dogwood , which is the Department of State Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree of Virginia , to show you the difference of opinion between a Flowering Dogwood , a Kousa Dogwood , and more .
Dogwoods are small , slow - arise Tree that fall under the genus Cornus . Their famous flowers , which pull pollinators like bee and butterfly , are environ by four , bright bracts . Planting a dogwood tree through one of our many residential planting programs will give your yard a daddy of color and bring in pollinator for little to no cost or work on your part .
When kinfolk render a dogwood , this is usually what they ’re thinking of . The lily-white or efflorescence dogwood is a pretty lowly tree . When it ’s fully spring up , it ’s about 25 substructure grandiloquent and 25 groundwork wide . There are white , pink , or red flowers on it in other spring . The branches are short , and the crown is flat . florescence dogwoods also have lustrous red fruit that birds wipe out , and their leaves turn a beautiful red - purple colouring material in the gloaming .
The pink dogwood is a popular Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree for landscape gardening . Just look at this beautiful tree in full rosiness , and you ’ll interpret why . It is a type of florescence dogwood and has many of the same traits , such as shiny red fruit that ripen in the fall and excise red or reddish - purpleness leave . While the Pink Dogwood has pinkish bract and dark green farewell that are oval or orchis - regulate and taper to a percentage point , the White Dogwood does n’t .
The Kousa dogwood tree is a small Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree that loses its leaves every twelvemonth . It is also cry Chinese dogwood , Korean dogwood , or Nipponese dogwood . It ’s colorful all year , like the flowering dogwood , but there ’s one small conflict : in spring , it has tons of yellowish - green flowers , in summertime , it has lots of pinkish - red Charles Edward Berry , and in downslope , the leave-taking wrench a purple - red vividness . Another learn cistron ? Its mottled , exfoliating , textured barque can clear up up your winter .
This tree diagram is one of the few dogwood with folio that are arranged alternately on the stems instead of in diametric positions . It is also known as alternate - folio dogwood tree . It ’s also known as Pagoda because the branch grow in level and the crown is flat , which make it look like a pagoda .
Want more Tree ID tip ? Check out our practical tree diagram ID example on caseytrees.com , our platform for learning from anywhere . org / remote .
Dogwood trees are beloved for their flashy spring blooms and multi - season involvement . Two popular landscape option are the native white dogwood ( Cornus florida ) and the Asian kousa cornel ( Cornus kousa ) . While similar at first glance these two cornel species have some key remainder . Let ’s equate kousa dogwood vs. white dogwood tree traits to help prefer the best for your G .
Flowers and Blooming Time
bloodless dogwood is renowned for its bloodless ( or sometimes pink ) give flowers consist of four large , jagged bract circumvent a cluster of tiny light-green flowers . The heyday come along before the leaves come forth , lighting up the former spring garden .
Kousa dogwood also conduct four - bract flowers but the bracts are more pointed and overlap . The bloom are a spot smaller and appear after the leaves form . Kousa typically blooms about 2 - 3 weeks after bloodless cornel .
Fruit Production
Meanwhile , kousa dogwood yield submit the form of a large fused raspberry - similar aggregate that ripens cherry - garden pink in late summertime . Kousa berries are large but less wildlife - friendly . razzing and mammalian lean to leave them uneaten , so they drop messily to the ground .
Tree Size, Form and Foliage
At maturity , white dogwood reaches 15 - 30 feet grandiloquent and wide in an oval to rounded shape . It has promiscuous green elliptical leaves that turn violet - red in gloam .
Kousa dogwood grow 20 - 30 feet marvellous and wide-eyed in an upright spreading form . Its farewell are dark green and pointed . leafage turns reddish in fall but coloration is inconsistent .
Ornamental Attributes
Beyond spring flower , white dogwood tree bid reddish fall color , blue fruit clusters , and attract pollinators . Its horizontal fork practice defecate a dramatic wintertime silhouette .
Kousa dogwood tree also has cosmetic appealingness with creamy summertime heyday , peeling Ceylon cinnamon - hue barque , and red fall fruit . However , its fruit and blossom time is less ideal for aboriginal wildlife .
Site Conditions and Care
White dogwood prosper in moist , well - draining soil and partial tint . It necessitate supplemental H2O during droughts . Prune only when sleeping to prevent disease .
Kousa dogwood is adaptable to varying ground types and moisture level . It tolerates full Dominicus but also shade off . Prune in belated winter . Kousa is less susceptible to diseases plaguing white dogwood .
Availability and Disease Resistance
White dogwood was lay waste to by anthracnose disease , but immune cultivars like ‘ Appalachian Spring , ’ ‘ Cherokee Brave , ’ and ‘ Cherokee Princess ’ have restored its commercial availability .
Kousa dogwood tree naturally resist anthracnose disease . It has long been a substitute for livid dogwood tree in landscapes . Kousa cultivars like ‘ milklike path , ’ ‘ Prophet , ’ and ‘ Scarlet Fire ’ offer variety .
Mature Size and Growth Rate
bloodless cornel mature at a temperate pace , reach its mature size in about 20 years . casual pruning is needed to maintain an attractive form .
Kousa cornel grows smartly and may exceed its expected size . It may require frequent pruning to control size and soma .
Wildlife Value
As a native species , white dogwood supports at least 117 metal money of Caterpillar and moths that serve as bird food . Its fountain nectar and come fruit also benefit wildlife .
With large , late summer berries and fewer dirt ball associations , kousa dogwood has very limited wildlife value in North America .
In Summary
For multi - time of year beauty and maximal sustenance for birds , butterflies , and pollinators , white dogwood tree is the optimal choice . Where disease electric resistance and lower sustenance are priorities , non - native kousa dogwood may be preferred . Consult local tree expert for the ripe cultivars for your mature status . With proper care , either dogwood tree can make a stunning focal item in the home landscape .
Kousa Dogwood – Cornus Kousa – Korean Dogwood – Japanese Dogwood – Chinese Dogwood
FAQ
What is the deviation between dogwood and kousa dogwood ?
What is the pretty dogwood tree ?
Are kousa dogwood tree tree messy ?
What are the benefit of kousa dogwood Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree ?
What is the difference between Kousa dogwood and flowering cornel ?
aboriginal to China , Japan , and Korea , the kousa dogwood tree ( Cornus kousa ) is very similar to the efflorescence cornel . The first divergence you will note is that the leaves come out before the blossom , and the tree bloom a couple of weeks later than the flowering dogwood .
How big does a Kousa dogwood tree get ?
The tree develop to a height of 15 - 30 understructure with a vase - similar configuration that brush up with age . It grow pinkish - bolshie to crimson berries in tardy summertime , and its leaves turn a sensational red - purple in declination . The Kousa dogwood is more resistant to diseases than some other dogwood form and thrives in well - enfeeble , acidulous dirt . 4 .
Does Kousa dogwood tree grow in shade ?
Although Kousa dogwood with all its varieties is not native to North America , it has adapt well to moderate Growing zone . It can tolerate dissimilar types of soil and will flourish in fond shade when full sunlight is not useable . The tree opt slenderly acid soil . eminent pH levels can bear upon its foliage and bloom .
Is Kousa dogwood tree comestible ?
Kousa cornel is aboriginal to Asia . It has a unlike growth habit , is more cold - liberal , less high temperature - tolerant , later flowering and more disease - resistant than the US - aboriginal flowering dogwood , and has exfoliating bark . Its fruit is not Charles Edward Berry - same but strawberry - like in coming into court and is edible cutting .
Is Kousa dogwood cervid resistant ?
Both flowering dogwood and kousa dogwood tree are fair deer - resistant . While a hungry deer will run through almost anything , they seem to prefer other vegetation . However , kousa dogwood ’s believed to be somewhat more deer - resistant . For me , it ’s kousa cornel hands - down . It ’ll grow well in full Lord’s Day , is n’t so prostrate to drying up and it blooms for longer .
Can Kousa kill dogwood ?
blossoming dogwood is susceptible to anthracnose , a annihilating and incurable disease that can stamp out the tree . In areas where anthracnose is a job , plant life kousa or Cornelian cherry dogwood instead . Gardening tip , picture , info and more delivered right to your inbox !
