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Cornus kousa 'Summer Fun'
Chinese Dogwood
Plant Type:
TREESCornus kousa 'Summer Fun' - A very nice variegated Chinese Dogwood with all green to gray-green leaves exhibiting broad, irregular white margins. Leaves emerge green, pink and cream-white maturing to green and white. In autumn variegated tissue turns neon pink to red with the gray-green hearts becoming bronzy red-purple. Nice! The flower is typical with four bracts at the heart of which set the actual sexual parts. When pollinated (and here they always are) these develop into the large showy red fruits that when paired with the gorgeous autumn leaves makes a strong, bold and maybe even raucous display. One of the less-discussed Chinese Dogwood traits is that the bark becomes beautifully marbled in time with irregular rounds, coins, and flecks of olive, dark brown, cinnamon and gray. 'Summer Fun' will grow to a fun-sized 15 feet, perhaps 20 feet over a long period of time and is a beauty in four seasons. Full sun in fertile, draining ground. What a specimen this will make. Summer fun... what a magical, distant concept for the nursery owner. These are grafted.
Please scroll down to Genus Overview for more information.
Characteristics and Attributes for Cornus kousa 'Summer Fun'
Season of Interest (Flowering)
- Spring
Season of Interest (Foliage)
- Spring / Summer / Autumn
Interesting Bark
- Marbled
- Colored
Autumn Interest
- Fruit / Berries / Seed Heads
- Autumn Leaf Color
Nature Attraction
- Deer Resistant
- Songbirds
- Honey Bees & Native Bees
Light
- Full Sun
- Mostly Sunny
Attributes
- Specimen
- Alee
- Accent
Growth Rate in the Garden
- Medium
Origins
- Garden Origin
Genus Overview: Cornus
Cornus. The Dogwoods come in many sizes – low growing shrubs to rounded trees. They are indispensable in a garden with almost all species and cultivars sporting four seasons of interest. Many exhibit richly-colored winter wood, attractive flowers and pretty berries in blue or white. Most offer terrific fall foliage color. The cultivars that offer gorgeous winter bark are especially well-used as background to lower growing evergeens or as foreground shrubs set before conifers, their stem colors glowing in winter against a backdrop of green, black-green, yellow or blue. All that produce flowers and fruit are very fine choices for the wildlife enthusiast. The trees provide nesting spots. When shrubs are grouped together these also provide nesting opportunities for some species of sparrows and even catbirds among others. The trees and shrubs provide nectar for bees and many other pollinators when in flower. Birds relish the late season fruits. All prefer fertile soils that retain some moisture between rain events. All of our offerings are cutting grown.