Cornus kousa Cultivars E-I

'Ed Mezitt'

Lax in habit, with broad overlapping mature bracts and young foliage that turns from purple to bronze, ageing to orange in autumn. A cross between Cornus kousa and C. kousa var. chinensis introduced by Weston Nursery, Massachusetts, named for second-generation owned Ed Mezitt (1915–1986) (Cappiello & Shadow 2005; Junker Nursery 2023).

A young specimen of Cornus kousa 'Ed Mezitt' beginning to show its lax habit (Wespelaar Arboretum, Haacht, Belgium; 29 May 2014). Image Philippe de Spoelberch.

Inflorescences of Cornus kousa 'Ed Mezitt' (Wespelaar Arboretum, Haacht, Belgium; 29 May 2014). Image Philippe de Spoelberch.

Elegant overlapping bracts of Cornus kousa 'Ed Mezitt'. Image Van Ooi, Reeuwijk.

Pigmented young foliage and bracts of Cornus kousa 'Ed Mezitt'. Image Van Ooi, Reeuwijk.

Cornus kousa 'Ed Mezitt'. Image Torsten Junker, Junker's Nursery - Gardens and Nursery.

'Elizabeth Lustgarten'

A moderately pendulous selection to 3 m tall, with an ascending leader and weeping laterals. The large white bracts are suffused with pink as they age. Introduced by Jim Cross, Cutchoge, New York from seedlings originating at Lustgarten Nurseries, New York (Cappiello & Shadow 2005; Santamour & McArdle 1985; Junker Nursery 2023). Moreau et al. (2024) recovered all of the weeping C. kousa cultivars as belonging to subsp. kousa, without admixture of subsp. chinensis; the cultivars in question are closely related, and that weeping trait likely derives from a single source.

'Emerald Star'

Deep-green leaves and trowel-shaped white bracts, scarcely overlapping (Cappiello & Shadow 2005). Moreau et al. (2024) recovered this as a cultivar of subsp. chinensis, but their sample proved identical to material labelled ‘Ticknor’s Choice’, so there are questions regarding the identify of their sample.

'Endurance'

Long-lasting bracts; selected by Weston Nurseries, Massachusetts (Cappiello & Shadow 2005).

'Eurostar'

A reasonably compact selection (2.5 m after 10 years), the large white bracts acquiring reddish tints with maturity; the deep green leaves have markedly acuminate apices (Esveld 2026).

White involucres of Cornus kousa 'Eurostar'. Image Koen Camelbeke, Arboretum Wespelaar.

'Fanfare'

A white-bracted form with an upright, rather fastigiate habit, hardy to at least –29°C; grown from a seed collected from an unidentified C. kousa specimen at the Arnold Arboretum by Mary (Polly) Wakefield of Milton, Massachusetts, who was taking classes in propagation at the Arboretum with the Cornus specialist Donald Wyman and Roger Coggeshall at the time. Wakefield went on to become perhaps the preeminent American breeder of C. kousa (creator of the Wakefield Estate and Arboretum) and this is among her first introductions (Merriam 2019; US PP03296 P). Patented in 1973.

Developing inflorescences of Cornus kousa 'Fanfare'. Image Torsten Junker, Junker's Nursery - Gardens and Nursery.

Cornus kousa 'Fanfare'. Image Torsten Junker, Junker's Nursery - Gardens and Nursery.

'Fernie's Favourite'

A vigorous, freely-branching tree with creamy, pink-splashed bracts and good red autumnal colour; offered by Junker (2023), who acquired it from Charles Fernie at Grayswood Hill (a garden with famous dogwood associations), apparently a wild collection.

'Fireworks'

Fine autumn colour in shades of red, yellow and purple (Cappiello & Shadow 2005).

'Flowertime'

Floriferous with broad bracts (Cappiello & Shadow 2005), recovered by Moreau et al. (2024) as a cultivar of subsp. chinensis.

'Galzam'

Bracts white, large with acuminate tips and rounded bases; the large leaves (up to twice the size of some other selections) are shiny green with prominent veins. Forms an attractive specimen tree to 7.5 m tall × 6 m wide; introduced by Lake County Nursery, Ohio as part of the Biblical Series™ (Cappiello & Shadow 2005; Hatch 2018–2020). Molecular data show it belongs to subsp. chinensis; a genetic sample of the North American cultivar ‘Big Dipper’ proved identical (Moreau et al. 2024).

Fine white bracts of Cornus kousa 'Galzam' Galilean. Image Van Ooi, Reeuwijk.

Cornus kousa 'Galzam' Galilean. Image Torsten Junker, Junker's Nursery - Gardens and Nursery.

Cornus kousa 'Galzam' Galilean. Image Torsten Junker, Junker's Nursery - Gardens and Nursery.

Cornus kousa 'Galzam' Galilean is noted for its exceptionally large foliage with broad, relaxed bracts (Sir Harold Hillier Gardens, June 2021). Image Jack Aldridge.

'Gay Head'

Compact but upright with ruffled bracts of variable size (Cappiello & Shadow 2005; Junker Nursery 2023).

'Girard's Nana'

A slow-growing but well-flowering dwarf selected by Girards’ Nursery, Ohio (Cappiello & Shadow 2005).

'Gold Cup'

A vigorous, upright, New Zealand selection with white bracts; the leaves are deep green with a yellow central blaze (Cappiello & Shadow 2005).

Broad white bracts of Cornus kousa 'Gold Cup'. Image Van Ooi, Reeuwijk.

'Gold Star'

A vigorous, variegated cultivar with white bracts; the leaves pass from bright green to dark green, developing a rich yellow central blaze; said to be inclined to revert (Clarke 1988). Introduced by the Sakata Nursery Company, Yokohama, Japan in 1977 (Hahn & Yinger 1983). Moreau et al. (2024) recovered this cultivar as straight C. kousa subsp. kousa, without admixture of subsp. chinensis.

A mixture of mature and new leaves of Cornus kousa 'Gold Star', showing the development of the variegation. Image Van Ooi, Reeuwijk.

Broad bracts of Cornus kousa 'Gold Star' (Wespelaar Arboretum, Haacht, Belgium; 5 June 2005). Image Philippe de Spoelberch.

Simultaneous fruit and flower on Cornus kousa 'Gold Star' (Acc. 92478, Wespelaar Arboretum, Haacht, Belgium; 26 August 2008). Image Philippe de Spoelberch.

Late flowers on colouring Cornus kousa 'Gold Star' (Wespelaar Arboretum, Haacht, Belgium; 16 October 2006). Image Philippe de Spoelberch.

Cornus kousa 'Gold Star' in fruit at Wespelaar Arboretum, Haacht, Belgium (26 August 2008). Image Philippe de Spoelberch.

'Greensleeves'

Vigorous with dark green, glossy leaves and large, overlapping, light green (almost white) bracts; selected by Polly Wakefield, Massachussetts and considered one of the best cultivars available, assumed to belong to subsp. chinensis on the basis of the large bracts (Cappiello & Shadow 2005). Molecular results reported by Moreau et al. (2024) appear to confirm this, though the sample proved practically identical to material grown under the name ‘Snow Tower’ (a cultivar which is quite distinct in habit), indicating some confusion in the North American trade.

My delight: Cornus kousa 'Greensleeves' has exceptionally large pale green bracts, usually fading to creamy white, while the large leaves are a particularly handsome glossy deep green (RHS Garden Wisley; June 2021). Image Jack Aldridge.

One of the best Cornus kousa cultivars, 'Greensleeves' is a handsome, vigorous selection with an semi-upright vase-shaped habit, spectacular in full flower, as seen here at RHS Garden Wisley (June 2021). Image Jack Aldridge.

Cornus kousa 'Greensleeves' seen growing here in a relatively sunny position, the bracts retain the pale green colouring throughout the season (Sir Harold Hillier Gardens, June 2021). Image Jack Aldridge.

Cornus kousa 'Greensleeves' retains green coloration for a long period, but is particularly intense while the inflorescences develop. Image Torsten Junker, Junker's Nursery - Gardens and Nursery.

Cornus kousa 'Greensleeves', the bracts almost entirely obscuring the foliage. Image Torsten Junker, Junker's Nursery - Gardens and Nursery.

'Greta's Gold'

Foliage is striking both in autumn (pink and red) and in spring, the new leaves emerging bronze then becoming mid green with golden margins; an improved selection from a branch sport of C. kousa subsp. chinensis at the Junker Nursery, UK (Cappiello & Shadow 2005; Junker Nursery 2023).

Cornus kousa 'Greta's Gold'. Image Torsten Junker, Junker's Nursery - Gardens and Nursery.

'Grumpy'

A poor-flowering dwarf with narrow creased leaves (Cappiello & Shadow 2005).

'Hanros'

A vigorous pink-bracted selection very similar to ‘Satomi’, with dark green foliage that turns bright red in autumn, introduced by Gary Handy (Cappiello & Shadow 2005). In the United States the cultivar is said to be hard to distinguish from ‘Satomi’ (Dirr & Warren 2019), perhaps reflecting confusion in the trade: in a recent American cultivar trial, material supplied under the two names was phenotypically indistiguishable, while another molecular study found putative ‘Hanros’ plants from two independent sources to be genetically identical to ‘Satomi’ (Moreau et al. 2024). However, the British Junker Nursery maintain the two as distinct, describing ‘Hanros’ as ‘stunning’, in terms of vigour, bract colour and the size and prodigious crop of the distinctively smooth fruits (Junker 2009).

The bracts of Cornus kousa 'Hanros' Radiant Rose are tinted an exceptionally vivid pink. Image Torsten Junker, Junker's Nursery - Gardens and Nursery.

Cornus kousa 'Hanros' Radiant Rose make a vigorous shrub with an elegant layered habit; in practice, it is difficult to distinguish from 'Satomi' (Sir Harold Hillier Gardens; June 2021). Image Jack Aldridge.

The large rounded pink bracts of Cornus kousa 'Hanros' Radiant Rose – here less vividly coloured than they can be (in a shady position at Sir Harold Hillier Gardens, June 2021). Image Jack Aldridge.

'Highland'

Slow-growing, but young plants can flower heavily nevertheless; cold hardy, originating at Highland Park, Rochester, New York (Cappiello & Shadow 2005).

'Inanna'

Large white bracts with dark green foliage with good orange autumnal colour; forms a small tree of pyramidal habit (Pépinière Le Try 2026).