Kousa dogwood

Cornus kousa

Ornamental tree whose pebbly fruit tastes like mango custard.

Type: small tree · fruit trees
Hardiness: zones 5 to 8
Light: part shade to full sun
Size: about 20 ft tall, 20 ft wide
Harvest: August to September
From: E. Asia
Here: Hardy in the Lake Erie shore climate (zone 6b to 7a), so it can live outdoors in the ground.

Good for: food, pollinators.

Native to: East Asia, Japan & its islands. Hardy in zones 5 to 8.

The story

Kousa dogwood comes from the mountains of Japan, Korea and China, where the soft red fruit has long been eaten by children and made into wine; it was brought to American gardens in 1875 for its white June bracts and has stayed mostly ornamental, which is a waste of a good fruit.

Planting

Full sun or part shade, moist, drained, slightly acid soil. Plant in spring; a 20-foot tree, self-fertile.

Growing

Water through dry summers, mulch, and prune only to shape. It resists the anthracnose that kills the native flowering dogwood.

Harvest and use

Round red fruit ripens in early autumn; when soft, squeeze the custard-like pulp from the skin. Tastes of mango and persimmon; the skin is gritty.

What to watch for

Drought stress in hot summers; otherwise little.

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General guidance, not professional advice. Conditions vary by yard and year; for local specifics ask your county extension office. Never eat a wild plant you cannot identify with certainty. Traditional uses are shared as history, not medical advice. © 2026 Sean Priest · Irie Orchard. Terms & credits · Privacy · Home