Cornus kousa Venus® is a brand new dogwood with bigger blooms, improved drought and cold tolerance, and better resistance to the most common dogwood diseases.
The huge snow-white blooms float on the outside of this peculiar tree like big butterflies. Venus® has an odd but interesting habit, with branches all the way to the ground, creating a cloud of large, bright blooms from the ground up. It will reach as tall as 20 feet and at least that wide and requires very little maintenance.
Dogwoods are notoriously thirsty, but Venus® shows a stronger tolerance of dry periods than her fragile cousins. This tree also thrives in cooler climates where dogwoods are usually unavailable (up to zone 4). And, since it's resistant to the most common dogwood ailments, Venus® maintains beautiful deep green foliage right into fall.
Standard Dogwood Care Tips:
- Soil: Dogwoods need a good balance: a blend that drains well but also contains enough organic matter to retain some moisture.
- Mulch: A layer of mulch goes a long way in maintaining soil moisture levels and protecting your roots from climate fluctuations.
- Pruning: Only to remove unsightly dying limbs if necessary.
- Water: Water deeply every couple of weeks, at least for the first year.
- Fertilizer: Use an all-purpose flowering-plant or shrub fertilizer. Rich organic material, like compost, worked into the soil will usually provide more than enough nutrients for your tree.
October 13, 2011
I am wondering if I should invest in this beautiful species. I live in the central valley in California. (Turlock)Thinking of placing it where it is shaded from sun form the west, but gets morning and early pm sun. We get some pretty warm summer temps, over 100 and some winter temps of 20 degrees occasionally. Thanks, susan
October 16, 2012
I am interested in learning more about the Dogwood, Cornus Kousa ‘Venus’. Has it been grown with any success in Ohio? Can it be trimmed to maintain size without sacrificing all of the blooms, or without damage to the limbs? What if any Winter interest does this tree provide?
Thanks I look forward to hearing from you.
April 2, 2013
My ‘Venus’ dogwood is four years old but only blooms every other year, is this normal? When it does bloom, it stops traffic, like last year and two years before that, and was blooming when I bought it. It get plenty of water and fertilizer, I think, but I am stumped as to what I am doing wrong. I live in Spokane WA, zone 5, and there was a frost in early October 2012, and it didn’t have any buds over the winter like the year before. If I had known it would not bloom every year, I probably wouldn’t have planted it. It seems to be healthy, good leaves, growing tall, big blooms, just not every year. Help.
Thank you.
Sandra Horn