This Fruit-Bearing Dogwood That You See Everywhere Is Actually Invasive

The dogwood tree is ubiquitous in the United States, and there are at least 50 known species. Varieties range in size from smaller shrubs to large flowering trees with white or yellow blooms that emerge each spring. Yet despite their beauty, not all dogwood trees are beneficial. Kousa dogwood (Cornus kousa) is actually an invasive plant. 

The kousa dogwood tree is among one of the shorter types of dogwoods, with an estimated average height of between 20 and 30 feet at maturation, according to the Morton Arboretum. It's known for its four-petaled flowers ranging in color from white to light pink, as well as its large red berries. In the autumn months, the leaves of these trees turn purple or red. Due to their size and durability, kousa dogwood is most likely to be planted in large public spaces, or around institutional buildings. Despite their beauty and usefulness in larger spaces, the kousa dogwood is not native to the U.S. Furthermore, scientists are sounding the alarm about the invasive nature of this dogwood tree and the harm it can pose to native plants and animals.

Kousa dogwoods are native to Asia. Despite the fact they are now all over the U.S., this type of dogwood was first introduced as a novelty plant during the 19^th century. It wasn't until the 1970s, however, that kousa dogwoods grew exponentially in number, as they were relied on to help replace flowering dogwoods that died from fungal diseases. While these trees might seem immune to disease, it's thought that the kousa dogwood is actually responsible for spreading the fungal disease dogwood anthracnose to native dogwood species. Aside from harming native plants, kousa dogwoods don't provide any benefit to native berry-eating animals, such as birds and foxes. While the kousa dogwood berries are prized by monkeys in their native Asia, they are not a food source for any native animals in the U.S.

Instead of the invasive kousa dogwood plant around your property, you might consider one of the 12 native dogwood species in North America. Among these are the Pacific, Eastern flowering, pagoda, silky, and gray dogwood varieties. You can also check out the National Wildlife Federation's native plant finder database to search for a variety of native plants in your area so you can avoid growing invasive plants and remove them from your yard altogether.