Cornus kousa Shira-yuki - Flowering Dogwood

The Cornus kousa 'Shira-yuki' is a new selection that stands out for the design of its foliage and flowering. This Japanese dogwood is adorned with very elongated leaves, of a fairly light green marginated with white. This variegation is ornamental throughout the season and when autumn arrives, the entire foliage takes on beautiful shades of pink and red. In spring, white star-shaped flowers appear with four branches, narrower than in other varieties. They are followed by decorative red-orange fruits, adding to the appeal of this bush. Very hardy and less demanding to grow than its cousin Cornus florida, this beautiful bush undoubtedly deserves to be planted more, especially as it remains compact.

The Dogwood belongs to the small family of Cornaceae, which, after several revisions of the classification, now only includes the genera Cornus and Alangium. Cornus kousa is a tree with small growth or a large bush, native to Japan, China, and Korea. Its architectural silhouette, supported by layered and horizontal branches, gives it a very Japanese look. The botanical species has given rise to several horticultural varieties, the result of breeders' work.
'Shira-yuki' is a variety that stands out easily from the others and will appeal to lovers of originality. It forms a compact bush, with relatively slow growth, reaching approximately 2.50 m (8ft) in height and 1.50 m (5ft) in width. It has a very characteristic foliage, composed of lanceolate leaves, long and rather narrow, with pointed ends. The leaf blades are a relatively pale lichen green, slightly greyish, and display an irregularly wide white margin at their periphery, creating a subtle contrast. In autumn, as the first cold weather approaches and the chemical composition of the leaves changes, pigments appear that colour the leaves red, while the white variegation turns pink. The bush then becomes a remarkable scene that attracts all eyes in the garden, at a time when flowering is quite scarce.

'Shira-yuki' blooms in May-June, with flower heads composed of a central flower surrounded by four bracts. The flower is actually a spherical cluster, made up of small clustered flowers, resembling a greenish blackberry, which then pigments into various shades of pink, while remaining discreet. It is the bracts that are admired, narrow and greenish as they emerge and margined white. Then, they turn completely white, forming a large star about ten centimetres in diameter. Their very architectural shape blends perfectly into a garden with a contemporary aesthetic. After a few weeks, the bracts fall off and the central fruits begin to form, creating small decorative, knobby spheres in shades of red-orange in autumn.

The Cornus kousa 'Shira-yuki' thrives in continental climates, with distinct summers and winters, but also performs well in milder areas. In hot regions, it should be planted in a sheltered spot away from scorching sun, such as at the edge of trees. Ornamental enough to justify planting it as a standalone on a lawn, it will also integrate well into a diverse plant bed, in the second row behind perennials or low-growing shrubs. Plant the Andromeda polifolia Compacta at its feet, a dwarf shrub with very narrow dark green foliage reminiscent of rosemary, which produces clusters of small pale pink bells from April to June. Skimmia with its superb glossy dark green evergreen foliage, will also make a beautiful foreground, with white or pink flowers depending on the variety, sometimes followed by decorative red fruits.

To extend the flowering period of your bed, consider integrating early bloomers in the background, such as Hamamelis, the fabulous Witch Hazels that will delight you with their filamentous flowers in pink, yellow, red, or orange in winter or early spring, and their splendid autumn colours. And for summer and late season, nothing beats a beautiful Hydrangea like Hydrangea paniculata Fraise Melba, whose large panicles bloom from July to October, starting white and turning pink, ending in shades of red, a true spectacle that will contrast with the variegated foliage of your Dogwood.