Flowering Dogwood Teutonia

A truly elegant flowering dogwood, and one of the very best, Cornus kousa Teutonia is a small to medium-sized, rather slow-growing, deciduous tree, with a rounded habit. The ovate leaves are mid- to deep green, and turn shades of red and purple in autumn, with streaks of pink and creamy-yellow. In June, this plant carries tiny greenish flowers surrounded by four very showy, creamy-white bracts, which become speckled light pink as they age. These are followed by small red fruits that resemble strawberries (not edible, though). Flowering dogwood Teutonia should not be pruned, and does not need to be. Although reasonably tolerant as to soil type, it thrives best on acid to neutral soils, and does not do well on thin chalky soils. A beautiful, low maintenance small tree.

Site: Sheltered
Soil: Any moist but well-drained soil, acid to neutral preferred
Position: Best in partial shade; tolerates full sun
Season of interest: Summer, autumn
Hardiness: Fully hardy
Height: 16’ (5m) Spread: 16’ (5m) in 20-50 years