Cornus kousa Milky Way

Cornus kousa Milky Way is a spectacular Chinese Dogwood that was selected from a seedbed in Ohio in the 1960’s and named for its abundant flower display suggestive of the many stars in the Milky Way!

This beautiful tree has dark green foliage in the summer, turning to reds and oranges in autumn. The bract like flowers, for which Chinese Dogwood are renowned, are produced plentifully with Milky Way; the profuse display of showy, creamy white bracts are usually borne in June.

The fruit is also very flashy and matures throughout the summer period. These red berries are exceptionally large and often remain on the tree until the autumn if not feasted upon by birds.

At Barcham we grow Cornus kousa Milkyway as a multi-stem bush, rather than a single trunked tree, making the most of the floriferous display by encouraging flowers from the ground level upwards. 

If left untouched, this multi-stem will spread as wide as it is tall, with an ever increasing display of flowers year on year.

Like all Chinese Dogwood, this species is best planted on well drained soils that are free from lime. This means they are best avoided if the soil pH is greater than 7, as whilst the tree may survive, it will never thrive. 

To avoid disappointment with trees it is always best to select specimens suited to your conditions, at Barcham we are happy to help you make these selections, and would suggest testing the pH of your soil before planting Cornus kousa Milky Way if there is any doubt about the alkalinity of the soil.

This tree is best suited to planting as a centre piece or feature in wide borders in gardens and planting schemes. If the conditions are favourable, Cornus kousa Milky Way will not disappoint, and whilst they are relatively slow growers, this tree will provide the wow factor year on year. 

Mature Height: 3-7m