🌸 Cornus kousa ‘Satomi’ – Pink-Flowered Japanese Dogwood

🔎 Identification

Scientific name: Cornus kousa ‘Satomi’.

Synonyms: Cornus kousa ‘Miss Satomi’, ‘Satsumii’, ‘Satomi Red’. Also marketed as ‘Rosabella’.

Family: Cornaceae (dogwood family).

Common names: Satomi Japanese dogwood, pink dogwood, Satomi dogwood, pink kousa dogwood.

Species origin: Japan, Korea and China.

Cultivar origin: Horticultural selection of Asian origin.

Type: Small deciduous ornamental tree or large shrub.

Special feature: Especially sought after for large deep pink to raspberry-pink bracts, reddish-purple fall foliage and ornamental raspberry-like fruit.

🌿 Botanical description

Habit: Upright and slightly pyramidal when young, becoming rounded and spreading with age.

Height: About 4 to 6 m, sometimes up to 8 m.

Spread: About 4 to 6 m, sometimes more.

Growth: Slow to moderate.

Trunk: Generally short, sometimes branching near the base.

Branches: Tiered, horizontal and elegantly spreading.

Leaves:

• Simple and opposite.

• Oval to elliptical.

• About 5 to 10 cm long.

• Glossy medium to dark green.

• Prominent veins.

• Young growth sometimes lightly tinged red.

• Turn scarlet, purple and burgundy in fall.

Bark: Ornamental, greyish to brownish, gradually exfoliating with age to reveal mottled grey, beige and brown patterns.

🌸 Flowering

Period: May to June, sometimes into early July, depending on the climate.

Flowers:

• Small, greenish to yellowish true flowers.

• Grouped in a rounded central flower head.

• Surrounded by 4 large ornamental bracts.

• Bracts oval to pointed.

• Bracts slightly overlapping.

Colour: Soft to deep pink, raspberry pink or reddish pink.

Size: About 5 to 10 cm across the whole flower head.

Duration: Several weeks in favourable conditions.

Special feature: Pink intensity varies with exposure, temperature and growing conditions. Bracts may be paler in shade or during severe drought.

🌸 Unlike Cornus florida, Cornus kousa generally flowers after its leaves emerge.

🍓 Fruit

Type: Small, fleshy, raspberry-like fruit.

Size: About 2 to 3 cm across.

Colour: Reddish pink to raspberry red when ripe.

Ripening period: August to September, sometimes October.

Features:

• Spherical fruit with a slightly bumpy surface.

• Borne on long stalks.

• Can be very abundant on mature trees.

• Attracts birds and small wildlife.

• May fall to the ground when ripe.

Edibility: Edible. Pulp is mild, slightly sweet and sometimes mealy. Skin can be discarded according to preference.

Uses: Fresh eating, jams and cooking.

🍂 Fall colour

Period: September to October.

Colours:

• Scarlet red.

• Orange-red.

• Deep purple.

• Burgundy.

Special feature: Red foliage contrasts beautifully with raspberry-red fruit still on the branches.

🌱 Growing conditions

Exposure: Sun to partial shade.

Soil: Rich, humus-rich, fertile and well drained.

Texture: Prefers loamy, slightly sandy soil but tolerates well-drained clay.

pH: Slightly acidic to neutral.

Moisture: Prefers cool, consistently moist soil.

Watering: Regular during the first few years and droughts.

Planting: Spring or fall.

Spacing: Allow about 4 to 6 m for natural development.

Location: Choose a spot sheltered from drying winds, with good air circulation.

Special feature: Sun generally promotes more intense pink bracts. However, light shade during hot hours can reduce water stress.

❄️ Hardiness

Zones: 5 to 8.

Approximate minimum temperature: About -23 to -26 °C, depending on growing conditions and establishment.

Winter resistance:

• Good hardiness for a large-flowered ornamental dogwood.

• More resistant to some diseases than Cornus florida.

• Young trees benefit from winter protection.

• Flower buds and young shoots can be damaged by late frosts.

Special feature: Cornus kousa is generally more resistant to dogwood anthracnose than Cornus florida.

✂️ Care

Pruning: Generally unnecessary. Retain its natural habit and tiered branches.

Pruning period: After flowering, if intervention is needed.

Fertilizing: Well-rotted compost in spring.

Mulching: Recommended to retain moisture and protect shallow roots.

Watering: Monitor especially during hot, dry weather.

Propagation: Mainly by semi-hardwood cuttings or grafting to retain cultivar characteristics.

Transplanting: Prefer young trees; avoid unnecessary root disturbance.

Diseases and pests:

• Leaf scorch during drought.

• Root rot in waterlogged soil.

• Leaf spots.

• Scale insects.

• Dogwood borers in some regions.

Special feature: Relatively resistant to dogwood anthracnose, a problematic disease in some other dogwoods.

🦋 Ecological value

• Small central flowers may attract pollinating insects.

• Fruit feeds birds.

• Offers shelter for small wildlife.

• Dense foliage provides shade.

• Suitable for biodiversity-friendly gardens.

✅ Highlights

• Beautiful raspberry-pink blossoms.

• Abundant ornamental floral bracts.

• Relatively long flowering period.

• Raspberry-like red fruit.

• Edible fruit.

• Beautiful red and purple fall colours.

• Ornamental bark with age.

• Relatively good anthracnose resistance.

• Elegant habit with tiered horizontal branches.

• Ornamental interest across several seasons.

❌ Points to consider

• Relatively slow growth.

• Needs moist, well-drained soil.

• Sensitive to prolonged drought.

• Pink bract colour varies with conditions.

• May need several years before flowering abundantly.

• Fallen fruit can soil surfaces.

• Sensitive to heavy, constantly waterlogged soil.

• Limited hardiness compared with some shrubby dogwoods.

🌳 Distinctive feature: ‘Satomi’ is one of the most popular Japanese dogwoods for pink flowers. Large raspberry-pink bracts cover its branches in spring, while red fruit and purple foliage provide a second ornamental display in fall.