Satomi Japanese Dogwood

Satomi Kousa Dogwood is a head-turning specimen tree that will work hard to prove it deserves that prime planting location you give it by a busy sidewalk or near your front entrance or back patio. It never has an off-season! In late spring, the starry, strawberry-milkshake-pink flowers hold court. In summer, the lush green foliage takes over and the funny Cap’n-Crunchberry-like fruits form (they’re edible and have a tropical fruit flavor). Cool weather brings spectacular purple and raspberry-red foliage to your landscape, and in winter, it’s all about the marvelous jigsaw-puzzle bark. To top it all off, being a Japanese Kousa Dogwood, Satomi is pretty much immune to the pests and diseases that can trouble other Dogwood trees!

The Japanese have been passionate gardeners for centuries, but until relatively recently, they kept their most exquisite finds to themselves. When the U.S. finally forced open the door in the 1850s, Western plants people got to see what they’d been missing. Naturalized American Thomas Hogg, Jr. was one plant explorer who rooted out new treasures for the West, including the Japanese “Kousa” Dogwood in 1875. Satomi, the first-ever pink-flowering Kousa came much later—directly from Japan. Nurseryman Akiri Shibamichi named it after his granddaughter in 1980.  Satomi means “beautiful and wise.”

Light to medium pink flowers appear in early summer on this gorgeous Satomi Japanese Dogwood. Dark green leaves with a tinge of red offer an awesome contrast along with attractive exfoliating bark. Burgundy-red leaves team up with large edible strawberry-like fruit in fall. All that plus exceptional disease resistance makes this Satomi Japanese Dogwood a "must have."