Plant Details

Cornus kousa chinensis

Chinese Dogwood

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Explore the size, hardiness, soil, light, edible uses and harvest period of Cornus kousa chinensis.

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Common names

3 names · 3 languages
EnglishYour language
  • Chinese Dogwood
Other languages (2)
Dutch
  • Chinese kornoelje
French
  • Cornouiller de Chine
Sources & name notes

Names recorded in our plant catalogue, grouped by language. Usage can vary by region.

General information

Scientific name: Cornus kousa chinensis
Accepted name (Kew): Cornus kousa subsp. chinensis View name reference ↗

Accepted in the cited taxonomic treatment. Botanical references may use alternative names.

Sources [1]
Botanical family: Cornaceae

Kew's family placement for the genus Cornus (WCVP v16).

Sources [1]
Also known as: Chinese Dogwood

Plant characteristics

Layer: Fruit tree, Shrub
Catalogue size class: Small, Medium
Height: 10.00 m
Spread: 6.00 m
Growth rate: Slow
Foliage: Deciduous

Growing conditions

USDA hardiness: 5-8
Soil moisture:
Moist
Soil:
Sand (light) Loam (medium) Clay (heavy)
pH:
Acidic Neutral Alkaline
Light:
Partial shade, Full sun

Uses

Edible parts:
Fruit, Leaves
Edibility rating:
(5)
Medicinal rating:
(0)
Functions:
Wood

Description

Fruit - can be consumed both raw and cooked. This fruit is sweet and juicy, and is highly appreciated in small quantities due to its delicious flavor and creamy texture. The skin can be quite hard and unpleasant, but the flesh is delightful. During a fruit tasting in various gardens, this fruit received very high ratings from a group of 7 people. The fruit has a diameter of about 2 cm. Young leaves can also be eaten when cooked.

Harvest

Harvest starts: 01/09
Harvest ends: 31/10

Sources and references

References for the information marked with source numbers on this page.

Sources checked
  1. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew World Checklist of Vascular Plants, version 16, extracted 4 June 2026
    Supports: TaxonomyBotanical family
    Relevant sections
    • Taxonomy: WCVP version 16, wcvp_names.csv: Cornus kousa subsp. chinensis (Osborn) Q.Y.Xiang, name ID 47417, row 986747
    • Botanical family: WCVP v16, wcvp_names.csv row 14963; name ID 47266; Cornus L.. Family column.

    Source checked on .

    Source data licence: CC BY 3.0.