View source for Kousa Dogwood

{{Taxobox
| color = lightgreen
| name = Kousa Dogwood
| image = Cornus kousa fruit.jpg
| image_width = 240px
| image_caption = Foliage and fruit
| regnum = [[Plant]]ae
| divisio = [[Flowering plant|Magnoliophyta]]
| classis = [[Dicotyledon|Magnoliopsida]]
| ordo = [[Cornales]]
| familia = [[Cornaceae]]
| genus = ''[[Dogwood|Cornus]]''
| subgenus = ''Benthamidia''
| species = '''''C. kousa'''''
| binomial = ''Cornus kousa''
| binomial_authority = Buerger ex [[Friedrich Anton Wilhelm Miquel|Miq.]]
}}

The '''Kousa Dogwood''' (''Cornus kousa'' or ''Benthamidia kousa''), also known as the '''Japanese Flowering Dogwood''' ({{Nihongo|Yamaboushi|ヤマボウシ|Yamaboushi}} in Japanese), is a small [[deciduous]] [[tree]] 8-12 m tall, native to eastern [[Asia]]. Like most [[dogwood]]s, it has opposite, simple [[leaf|leaves]], which are 4-10 cm long. 

The tree is extremely showy when in [[flower]], but the "flowers" are actually showy white [[bract]]s below the cluster of inconspicuous yellow-green flowers. The flowering is in spring, shortly after it leafs out. It has a relatively upright habit, unlike the closely related [[Flowering Dogwood]] (''Cornus florida'') of eastern [[North America]], which has a sprawling habit. It also differs from that in flowering about a month later, and in having pointed (not rounded) flower bracts.

The [[fruit]] is a globose pink to red compound [[berry]] 2-3 cm diameter, though these berries tend to grow larger towards the end of the season and some berries that do not fall from the tree surpass 4 cm. It is edible, though lacking any interesting flavour.

There are two [[variety (biology)|varieties]]:
*''Cornus kousa'' var. ''kousa''. Leaves 4-7 cm; flower bracts 3-5 cm. Japan.
*''Cornus kousa'' var. ''chinensis''. Leaves 5-10 cm; flower bracts 4-6 cm. China.

It is resistant to the dogwood [[anthracnose]] [[disease]], caused by the fungus ''Discula destructiva'', unlike Flowering Dogwood, which is very susceptible and commonly killed by it; for this reason, Kousa Dogwood is being widely planted as an ornamental tree in areas affected by the disease. A number of [[hybrid]]s between Kousa Dogwood and Flowering Dogwood have also been selected for their disease resistance and good flower appearance.

<gallery>
Image:Cornus_kousa_img_2066.jpg|Tree, at Longwood Gardens
Image:Cornus_kousa_flowers_img_2068.jpg|Flowers
Image:koreandogwood.jpg|Fruit
</gallery>

{{Commons|Cornus kousa|''Cornus kousa''}}
[[Category:Cornales|Dogwood, Kousa]]