Many valued American plants have their counterparts in Japan or China. This is true of the dogwoods, for the small Japanese (Cornus Kansa) and Chinese C. Kousa chinensis) dogwoods are just as much valued in their native lands as our native flowering dogwood (C. Florida] and Western Dogwood (C. Moulin) are valued here.
Japanese dogwood is usually grown as a small tree reaching 20′ feet at maturity. However, when allowed to develop several main branches, it grows considerably wider than it would with only one trunk and makes an excellent specimen. It can be grown wherever our native dogwoods are hardy.
Japanese Dogwood Features
Blooms and Fruits
The Japanese dogwood blooms about three weeks after C. Florida and C. Nut-lain. Its small yellow flowers. which lasts for about a week. are surrounded by four conspicuous white bracts.
These bracts differ from those of the native flowering dogwood in being pointed at the tip, not rounded and notched.
The fruits, which appear in late summer, are unlike those of the native. They are more the size and shape of large raspberries—something under an inch in diameter.
Foliage and Branches
In the autumn, the foliage turns scarlet; thus, this small tree adds color to the garden for at least two seasons. Then, the horizontal branches also lend interest to the plant all winter long. This winter interest is highly prized in all gardens.
Since the flowers and fruit are borne on the upper side of the horizontal branches, the tree should be planted where one can observe it from above, as from an upstairs window or a slight rise in the land. Then it will show off to excellent advantage.
One interesting fact about the flowers is that the bracts sometimes tend to become pink or pinkish as they fade. This color varies considerably from year to year.
Chinese Dogwood
The Chinese dogwood (C. Kousa chinensis), which E. H. Wilson, introduced from China, is supposed to have larger bracts. Those of the Japanese dogwood are usually 1 1/2″ to 2″ inches long, while those of the Chinese dogwood are supposed to be slightly longer.
However, I am sure this must vary with soils and growing conditions, for we have failed to find any outstanding difference in the sizes of bracts of the two types when the plants have been grown side by side in the Arnold Arboretum.
44659 by Donald Wyman