
Flowering tree
Kousa dogwood
Cornus kousa
Kousa dogwood (Cornus kousa) is a tree in the Cornaceae family, introduced in the lower 48 states.
Kousa dogwood is a popular flowering tree. It's on our flower lists for 39 states.
*iNaturalist research-grade observations, as of October 23, 2026. Our state lists also include states where people grow it in gardens, so they can outnumber USDA's wild-plant records. Planted garden trees are mostly excluded from research grade.
On our lists for: Alabama, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin
Quick look
Cornus kousa is a small deciduous tree in the flowering plant family Cornaceae. Common names include kousa, kousa dogwood, Chinese dogwood, Korean dogwood, and Japanese dogwood.
- It belongs to the Cornaceae family. iNaturalist
- USDA PLANTS describes it as a tree with a perennial life cycle. USDA PLANTS
- USDA PLANTS lists it as introduced in the lower 48 states and records it in 2 states. USDA PLANTS
- iNaturalist has 167 research-grade sightings of it in North Carolina, ranking #118 among the 192 flowers on our North Carolina list. iNaturalist
- iNaturalist has 162 research-grade sightings of it in Tennessee, ranking #117 among the 182 flowers on our Tennessee list. iNaturalist
- iNaturalist has 114 research-grade sightings of it in Georgia, ranking #118 among the 183 flowers on our Georgia list. iNaturalist
When does it bloom?
Bloom time in the 39 states whose Bloomipedia list includes it
| State | Type | Peak bloom | Sightings* |
|---|---|---|---|
| North Carolina | 🌷 Garden | few records (3) | 167 |
| Tennessee | 🌷 Garden | few records (1) | 162 |
| Georgia | 🌷 Garden | few records (3) | 114 |
| Virginia | 🌷 Garden | few records (10) | 108 |
| Ohio | 🌷 Garden | few records (5) | 89 |
| Michigan | 🌷 Garden | few records (1) | 85 |
| Maryland | 🌷 Garden | few records (4) | 63 |
| Pennsylvania | 🌷 Garden | few records (4) | 40 |
| West Virginia | 🌷 Garden | few records (2) | 31 |
| Delaware | 🌷 Garden | no flowering records | 24 |
| Indiana | 🌷 Garden | no flowering records | 22 |
| Kentucky | 🌷 Garden | few records (5) | 22 |
| South Carolina | 🌷 Garden | no flowering records | 22 |
| Alabama | 🌷 Garden | few records (1) | 19 |
| Massachusetts | 🌷 Garden | few records (1) | 17 |
| New York | 🌷 Garden | few records (1) | 15 |
| Illinois | 🌷 Garden | few records (2) | 14 |
| Missouri | 🌷 Garden | no flowering records | 13 |
| Arkansas | 🌷 Garden | no flowering records | 6 |
| Wisconsin | 🌷 Garden | no flowering records | 5 |
| Connecticut | 🌷 Garden | no flowering records | 4 |
| Mississippi | 🌷 Garden | no flowering records | 4 |
| Rhode Island | 🌷 Garden | no flowering records | 4 |
| Oregon | 🌷 Garden | no flowering records | 3 |
| Washington | 🌷 Garden | no flowering records | 3 |
| New Jersey | 🌷 Garden | no flowering records | 2 |
| New Hampshire | 🌷 Garden | no flowering records | 1 |
| California | 🌷 Garden | no flowering records | 1 |
| Kansas | 🌷 Garden | no flowering records | 1 |
| Nebraska | 🌷 Garden | no flowering records | 1 |
| Oklahoma | 🌷 Garden | no flowering records | 1 |
| Vermont | 🌷 Garden | no flowering records | 1 |
| Colorado | 🌷 Garden | no flowering records | 0 |
| Iowa | 🌷 Garden | no flowering records | 0 |
| Idaho | 🌷 Garden | no flowering records | 0 |
| Maine | 🌷 Garden | no flowering records | 0 |
| New Mexico | 🌷 Garden | no flowering records | 0 |
| Nevada | 🌷 Garden | no flowering records | 0 |
| Utah | 🌷 Garden | no flowering records | 0 |
Conservation status
- Federal (U.S. ESA)
- Not listed No U.S. Endangered Species Act listing in the USFWS ECOS database. USFWS ECOS
- NatureServe global
- GNR Not yet ranked worldwide. NatureServe
- State rare plant lists
- Not listed Not on the official rare plant list in 27 of our 39 states.
See each state
- North Carolina
- Not listed Not on North Carolina Protected Plant Species List (02 NCAC 48F .0301). NatureServe has no North Carolina rank for it. 02 NCAC 48F .0301
- Tennessee
- Not listed Not on Tennessee endangered plants (Tenn. Comp. R. & Regs. 0400-06-02-.04, Rare Plant Protection and Conservation Act). NatureServe has no Tennessee rank for it. TN rule 0400-06-02-.04
- Georgia
- Not listed Not on Georgia protected plants (Ga. Comp. R. & Regs. 391-4-10-.09; a 2026 update is proposed). NatureServe has no Georgia rank for it. Ga. R. 391-4-10-.09
- Virginia
- Not listed Not on Virginia endangered and threatened plant and insect species (2VAC5-320-10). NatureServe has no Virginia rank for it. 2VAC5-320-10
- Ohio
- Not listed Not on Ohio endangered and threatened plants (Ohio Adm. Code 1501:18-1-03, eff. Dec. 26, 2024). NatureServe has no Ohio rank for it. OAC 1501:18-1-03
- Michigan
- Not listed Not on Michigan endangered and threatened plants (Mich. Admin. Code R 299.1028, eff. March 20, 2023). NatureServe has no Michigan rank for it. R 299.1028
- Maryland
- Not listed Not on Maryland threatened and endangered plants (COMAR 08.03.08.05, .06 and .08). NatureServe has no Maryland rank for it. COMAR 08.03.08
- Pennsylvania
- Not listed Not on Pennsylvania classified native plants (17 Pa. Code Ch. 45, Subchapter B, as amended 2023). NatureServe has no Pennsylvania rank for it. 17 Pa. Code Ch. 45
- Delaware
- Not listed Not on Rare and Uncommon Plants of Delaware (DNREC, 2024; informational, Delaware has no state plant-protection list). NatureServe has no Delaware rank for it. DE rare plants 2024
- Kentucky
- Not listed Not on Kentucky endangered and threatened plant lists (400 KAR 3:040, eff. 2026). NatureServe has no Kentucky rank for it. 400 KAR 3:040
- Massachusetts
- Not listed Not on Massachusetts Endangered Species Act list (321 CMR 10.90). NatureServe has no Massachusetts rank for it. MESA list
- New York
- Not listed Not on New York protected native plants (6 NYCRR § 193.3). NatureServe: SNA, not applicable (usually because it isn't native there) in New York. 6 NYCRR § 193.3
- Illinois
- Not listed Not on Illinois List of Endangered and Threatened Flora (17 Ill. Adm. Code 1050), per the Endangered Species Protection Board's 2025 checklist. NatureServe has no Illinois rank for it. IL E&T checklist 2025
- Missouri
- Not listed Not on Missouri Wildlife Code endangered species (3 CSR 10-4.111), plants. NatureServe has no Missouri rank for it. 3 CSR 10-4.111
- Wisconsin
- Not listed Not on Wisconsin endangered and threatened species list (Wis. Admin. Code NR 27.03). NatureServe has no Wisconsin rank for it. NR 27.03
- Connecticut
- Not listed Not on Connecticut Endangered, Threatened and Special Concern Plants (RCSA 26-306; 2015 list). NatureServe has no Connecticut rank for it. CT E/T/SC list
- Rhode Island
- Not listed Not on Rhode Island Rare Plants 2016 (RI Natural History Survey, from the RI Wildlife Action Plan; informational, Rhode Island has no state plant-protection listing law). NatureServe has no Rhode Island rank for it. RI rare plants 2016
- Oregon
- Not listed Not on Oregon endangered and threatened plants (OAR 603-073-0070). NatureServe has no Oregon rank for it. OAR 603-073-0070
- New Jersey
- Not listed Not on New Jersey Endangered Plant Species List (N.J.A.C. 7:5C-5.1). NatureServe has no New Jersey rank for it. N.J.A.C. 7:5C-5.1
- New Hampshire
- Not listed Not on New Hampshire Official Rare Plants List (Ncr 312, eff. Jan 1, 2020). NatureServe has no New Hampshire rank for it. NH Ncr 312
- California
- Not listed Not on California state-listed endangered, threatened and rare plants (14 CCR § 670.2), per CDFW's CNDDB list (July 2026). NatureServe has no California rank for it. CNDDB listed plants (July 2026)
- Nebraska
- Not listed Not on Nebraska threatened and endangered species (163 Neb. Admin. Code ch. 4, § 004). NatureServe has no Nebraska rank for it. 163 NAC 4-004
- Vermont
- Not listed Not on Endangered and Threatened Plants of Vermont (10 V.S.A. chap. 123; list of Feb 10, 2022). NatureServe has no Vermont rank for it. Vermont E&T list
- Iowa
- Not listed Not on Iowa endangered, threatened and special concern plants (Iowa Admin. Code r. 571-77.3). NatureServe has no Iowa rank for it. IAC 571-77.3
- Maine
- Not listed Not on Maine Rare Plant List (Maine Natural Areas Program, 2021). E and T are Maine's official endangered and threatened plants (12 M.R.S.); SC and PE are tracking categories. NatureServe has no Maine rank for it. Maine rare plant list
- New Mexico
- Not listed Not on New Mexico state endangered plant species (19.21.2.9 NMAC). NatureServe has no New Mexico rank for it. 19.21.2.9 NMAC
- Nevada
- Not listed Not on Nevada fully protected plants, critically endangered (NAC 527.010). NatureServe has no Nevada rank for it. NAC 527.010
- West Virginia
- No list West Virginia has no state law listing endangered or threatened plants (only federally listed species are protected), so we show NatureServe's West Virginia ranks instead. NatureServe has no West Virginia rank for it.
- Indiana
- No list Indiana has no state law listing endangered or threatened plants (the DNR keeps a rare plant list, but it isn't regulatory), so we show NatureServe's Indiana ranks instead. NatureServe has no Indiana rank for it.
- South Carolina
- No list South Carolina has no state law listing endangered or threatened plants, so we show NatureServe's South Carolina ranks instead. NatureServe has no South Carolina rank for it.
- Alabama
- No list Alabama has no state law listing endangered or threatened plants, so we show NatureServe's Alabama ranks instead. NatureServe has no Alabama rank for it.
- Arkansas
- No list Arkansas has no state law listing endangered or threatened plants, so we show NatureServe's Arkansas ranks instead. NatureServe has no Arkansas rank for it.
- Mississippi
- No list Mississippi has no state law listing endangered or threatened plants, so we show NatureServe's Mississippi ranks instead. NatureServe has no Mississippi rank for it.
- Washington
- No list Washington has no state law listing endangered or threatened plants (the Washington Natural Heritage Program's rare plant list isn't regulatory), so we show NatureServe's Washington ranks instead. NatureServe has no Washington rank for it.
- Kansas
- No list Kansas's endangered and threatened list (K.A.R. 115-15-1) covers animals only, so we show NatureServe's Kansas ranks for plants. NatureServe has no Kansas rank for it.
- Oklahoma
- No list Oklahoma has no state law listing endangered or threatened plants, so we show NatureServe's Oklahoma ranks instead. NatureServe has no Oklahoma rank for it.
- Colorado
- No list Colorado has no state law listing endangered or threatened plants, so we show NatureServe's Colorado ranks instead. NatureServe has no Colorado rank for it.
- Idaho
- No list Idaho has no state law listing endangered or threatened plants, so we show NatureServe's Idaho ranks instead. NatureServe has no Idaho rank for it.
- Utah
- No list Utah has no state law listing endangered or threatened plants, so we show NatureServe's Utah ranks instead. NatureServe has no Utah rank for it.
- Rare elsewhere
- No other U.S. state ranks it S1, S2, SH or SX.
Checked October 23, 2026. Rankings and lists can change, so follow the links for the latest.
Can you eat it?
NC State Extension notes: “Fruits are technically edible but are usually left for the birds.” NC State Extension
It isn't on the ASPCA plant list, and NC State Extension doesn't flag it for pets.
🌿 Never eat a wild plant unless you're certain of its ID; this isn't medical advice. Worried about a person? Call Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222. Worried about a pet? Call your vet.
Where does it grow?
USDA PLANTS records kousa dogwood in 2 states.
recorded by USDA PLANTS on our state lists not recorded
See the full list of states
New Jersey, New York.
Names, range and relatives
County records: USDA PLANTS lists it in 5 counties across 2 states; the most are in New York (3), New Jersey (2).
Other Cornus on Bloomipedia (9): Flowering dogwood, Canadian bunchberry, Red osier dogwood, Roughleaf dogwood, Alternate-leaved dogwood, Western bunchberry, Silky dogwood, Cornelian cherry, Swedish cornel.
More North Carolina flowers
Sources
- USDA, NRCS. PLANTS Database, profile COKO2.
- iNaturalist, Cornus kousa: taxonomy, research-grade observation counts and “Flowering” annotations, retrieved October 23, 2026.
- Wikipedia, Cornus kousa (lead quoted under CC BY-SA 4.0).
- State rare and invasive plant lists (64):
Show all 64 state lists
- North Carolina: North Carolina Protected Plant Species List (02 NCAC 48F .0301).
- North Carolina: North Carolina Noxious Weed List (02 NCAC 48A .1702) (the list names any non-native Lythrum; we apply it to purple loosestrife (Lythrum salicaria), which isn't native).
- Tennessee: Tennessee endangered plants (Tenn. Comp. R. & Regs. 0400-06-02-.04, Rare Plant Protection and Conservation Act).
- Tennessee: Tennessee Pest Plant List (Tenn. Comp. R. & Regs. 0080-06-24-.02).
- Georgia: Georgia protected plants (Ga. Comp. R. & Regs. 391-4-10-.09; a 2026 update is proposed).
- Virginia: Virginia endangered and threatened plant and insect species (2VAC5-320-10).
- Virginia: Virginia noxious weeds (2VAC5-317-20, Tier 1, 2 and 3).
- Ohio: Ohio endangered and threatened plants (Ohio Adm. Code 1501:18-1-03, eff. Dec. 26, 2024).
- Ohio: Ohio invasive plant species (Ohio Adm. Code 901:5-30-01).
- Michigan: Michigan endangered and threatened plants (Mich. Admin. Code R 299.1028, eff. March 20, 2023).
- Michigan: Michigan prohibited and restricted species (NREPA Part 413 and the 2026 Invasive Species Order), as listed by Michigan's Invasive Species Program.
- Maryland: Maryland threatened and endangered plants (COMAR 08.03.08.05, .06 and .08).
- Maryland: Maryland Prohibited Invasive Plant List (COMAR 15.06.04.06; MDA, updated July 2026).
- Pennsylvania: Pennsylvania classified native plants (17 Pa. Code Ch. 45, Subchapter B, as amended 2023).
- Pennsylvania: Pennsylvania Noxious Weed List (3 Pa.C.S. § 1519, PA Dept. of Agriculture) (PDA's page spells garlic mustard “Allaria petiolata”; we match it as Alliaria petiolata).
- West Virginia: West Virginia noxious weeds (W. Va. Code R. § 61-14A-5) (the rule abbreviates some names (e.g. “P. cuspidatum”); we expand them to match).
- Delaware: Rare and Uncommon Plants of Delaware (DNREC, 2024; informational, Delaware has no state plant-protection list).
- Delaware: Delaware Invasive Plant List (3 Del. Admin. Code § 806-3.0).
- Indiana: Indiana prohibited invasive terrestrial plants (312 IAC 18-3-25).
- Kentucky: Kentucky endangered and threatened plant lists (400 KAR 3:040, eff. 2026).
- Kentucky: Kentucky noxious weeds and invasive plants on state rights-of-way (KRS 176.051; species list from the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet).
- South Carolina: South Carolina State Plant Pest List, plants (S.C. Code Regs. 27-135; Clemson Dept. of Plant Industry).
- Alabama: Alabama noxious weeds (Ala. Admin. Code r. 80-10-14-.04).
- Massachusetts: Massachusetts Endangered Species Act list (321 CMR 10.90).
- Massachusetts: Massachusetts Prohibited Plant List (MDAR) (Text from MDAR's 2023 scientific-name PDF (mass.gov blocks automated downloads); 2024-2026 additions listed on the mass.gov page: Alnus glutinosa, Pyrus calleryana, Miscanthus sinensis, Aralia elata, Rhodotypos scandens, Symplocos paniculata.).
- New York: New York protected native plants (6 NYCRR § 193.3).
- New York: New York prohibited and regulated invasive species (6 NYCRR Part 575).
- Illinois: Illinois List of Endangered and Threatened Flora (17 Ill. Adm. Code 1050), per the Endangered Species Protection Board's 2025 checklist.
- Illinois: Illinois Official List of Exotic Weeds (17 Ill. Adm. Code 1100.30, Illinois Exotic Weed Act).
- Missouri: Missouri Wildlife Code endangered species (3 CSR 10-4.111), plants.
- Missouri: Missouri noxious weed list (2 CSR 70-45.005).
- Arkansas: Arkansas State Plant Board noxious weeds and prohibited plants (2 CAR § 50-101).
- Wisconsin: Wisconsin endangered and threatened species list (Wis. Admin. Code NR 27.03).
- Wisconsin: Wisconsin invasive species rule (Wis. Admin. Code NR 40.04 prohibited, NR 40.05 restricted).
- Connecticut: Connecticut Endangered, Threatened and Special Concern Plants (RCSA 26-306; 2015 list).
- Connecticut: Connecticut prohibited invasive plants (Conn. Gen. Stat. § 22a-381d).
- Mississippi: Mississippi Noxious Weed List (2 Miss. Code R. 1-3-01-136.01).
- Rhode Island: Rhode Island Rare Plants 2016 (RI Natural History Survey, from the RI Wildlife Action Plan; informational, Rhode Island has no state plant-protection listing law).
- Oregon: Oregon endangered and threatened plants (OAR 603-073-0070).
- Oregon: Oregon noxious weed quarantine, A and B weeds (OAR 603-052-1200).
- Washington: Washington State noxious weed list (WAC 16-750-005, -011, -015).
- New Jersey: New Jersey Endangered Plant Species List (N.J.A.C. 7:5C-5.1).
- New Jersey: New Jersey prohibited invasive plant species (Invasive Species Management Act; propagation banned from Jan 1, 2027, sale from Jan 1, 2030).
- New Hampshire: New Hampshire Official Rare Plants List (Ncr 312, eff. Jan 1, 2020).
- New Hampshire: NH Prohibited Invasive Species List (Agr 3800, Table 3800.1).
- California: California state-listed endangered, threatened and rare plants (14 CCR § 670.2), per CDFW's CNDDB list (July 2026).
- California: California noxious weed species (3 CCR § 4500).
- Kansas: Kansas noxious weeds (K.A.R. 4-8-44, as amended 2026).
- Nebraska: Nebraska threatened and endangered species (163 Neb. Admin. Code ch. 4, § 004).
- Nebraska: Nebraska noxious weeds (25 Neb. Admin. Code ch. 10, § 001.02).
- Oklahoma: Oklahoma Noxious Weed Law (2 O.S. § 3-220).
- Vermont: Endangered and Threatened Plants of Vermont (10 V.S.A. chap. 123; list of Feb 10, 2022).
- Vermont: Vermont Quarantine List, Regulated Introduced Plant Species Rule (eff. June 16, 2026).
- Colorado: Colorado noxious weed lists A, B and C (8 CCR 1206-2, eff. May 15, 2025).
- Iowa: Iowa endangered, threatened and special concern plants (Iowa Admin. Code r. 571-77.3).
- Iowa: Iowa noxious weeds (Iowa Code § 317.1A).
- Idaho: Idaho noxious weeds (IDAPA 02.06.09, Section 220).
- Maine: Maine Rare Plant List (Maine Natural Areas Program, 2021). E and T are Maine's official endangered and threatened plants (12 M.R.S.); SC and PE are tracking categories.
- Maine: Maine Do Not Sell invasive plant list (01-001 C.M.R. ch. 273).
- New Mexico: New Mexico state endangered plant species (19.21.2.9 NMAC).
- New Mexico: New Mexico Noxious Weed List (NM Department of Agriculture, updated June 2020).
- Nevada: Nevada fully protected plants, critically endangered (NAC 527.010).
- Nevada: Nevada noxious weeds (NAC 555.010).
- Utah: Utah noxious weed list (Utah Admin. Code R68-9-3).
- USFWS, ECOS species database (ESA listing check), October 23, 2026.
- NatureServe Explorer, Cornus kousa (global and state ranks).
- Edibility and toxicity: NC State Extension.
- Photo: Luke Wildfire via iNaturalist · CC BY 4.0 · resized.


