My Deer Garden

Plant record · Tree

Is Kousa Dogwood deer resistant?

Cornus kousa

Pointed white bracts of kousa dogwood
Photo by Henryhartley, CC BY-SA 3.0. Via Wikimedia Commons.
Damage step 2 of 4 · Seldom Severely Damaged

Mostly. Light browsing at worst; rarely ruined.

Type
Tree
Hardiness
Zones 5–8
Light
Part shade
Height
240–360 in
Bloom
Spring
Maintenance
Low

Damage steps follow a published university field scale. How plants are rated.

About Kousa Dogwood

Resists the anthracnose and borers that have devastated flowering dogwood, which makes it the safer choice almost everywhere. It flowers a few weeks later, with pointed rather than notched bracts, followed by strange raspberry-like fruit that is edible if unexciting. Mottled bark on older trunks is a real winter feature.

Soil and care

Soil pH
5.5 to 6.5
Drainage
Well drained
Water
Moderate
Spacing
118 to 177 in apart
Growth rate
Slow
Maintenance
Low

Similar to Kousa Dogwood

Other trees with the same deer rating.

Where Kousa Dogwood grows

Hardy across 49 states on zone range alone. Mountain and coastal areas sit outside the ranges used here, so check your own zone before ordering. Select any state, including one it will not grow in, for what is resistant there.

Alabama — hardy here. Zones 7 to 9.Alaska — hardy here. Zones 1 to 8.Arizona — hardy here. Zones 5 to 10.Arkansas — hardy here. Zones 6 to 8.California — hardy here. Zones 7 to 10.Colorado — hardy here. Zones 3 to 6.Connecticut — hardy here. Zones 5 to 7.Delaware — hardy here. Zones 7 to 7.District of Columbia — hardy here. Zones 7 to 8.Florida — hardy here. Zones 8 to 11.Georgia — hardy here. Zones 7 to 9.Hawaii — not hardy here. Zones 9 to 12.Idaho — hardy here. Zones 3 to 7.Illinois — hardy here. Zones 5 to 7.Indiana — hardy here. Zones 5 to 6.Iowa — hardy here. Zones 4 to 6.Kansas — hardy here. Zones 5 to 7.Kentucky — hardy here. Zones 6 to 7.Louisiana — hardy here. Zones 8 to 10.Maine — hardy here. Zones 3 to 6.Maryland — hardy here. Zones 6 to 8.Massachusetts — hardy here. Zones 5 to 7.Michigan — hardy here. Zones 4 to 6.Minnesota — hardy here. Zones 3 to 5.Mississippi — hardy here. Zones 7 to 9.Missouri — hardy here. Zones 5 to 7.Montana — hardy here. Zones 3 to 6.Nebraska — hardy here. Zones 4 to 6.Nevada — hardy here. Zones 4 to 9.New Hampshire — hardy here. Zones 3 to 6.New Jersey — hardy here. Zones 6 to 7.New Mexico — hardy here. Zones 4 to 9.New York — hardy here. Zones 4 to 7.North Carolina — hardy here. Zones 6 to 8.North Dakota — not hardy here. Zones 3 to 4.Ohio — hardy here. Zones 5 to 6.Oklahoma — hardy here. Zones 6 to 8.Oregon — hardy here. Zones 6 to 9.Pennsylvania — hardy here. Zones 5 to 7.Rhode Island — hardy here. Zones 6 to 7.South Carolina — hardy here. Zones 7 to 9.South Dakota — hardy here. Zones 3 to 5.Tennessee — hardy here. Zones 6 to 8.Texas — hardy here. Zones 6 to 9.Utah — hardy here. Zones 4 to 9.Vermont — hardy here. Zones 3 to 5.Virginia — hardy here. Zones 6 to 8.Washington — hardy here. Zones 5 to 8.West Virginia — hardy here. Zones 5 to 7.Wisconsin — hardy here. Zones 3 to 5.Wyoming — hardy here. Zones 3 to 6.
Hardy on zone rangeNot hardy — still linked
Choose a state from the listeasier on a phone

Common questions about Kousa Dogwood

Is Kousa Dogwood deer resistant?
Kousa Dogwood (Cornus kousa) is rated Seldom Severely Damaged, step 2 of 4 on the damage scale this site uses. Light browsing at worst; rarely ruined.
What hardiness zones does Kousa Dogwood grow in?
Kousa Dogwood is hardy in USDA zones 5 to 8. Outside that range it will either not survive winter or will struggle with summer heat.
Does Kousa Dogwood grow in shade?
Yes. Kousa Dogwood tolerates part shade, which makes it one of the options for a shaded bed where deer also browse.
How big does Kousa Dogwood get?
Mature height is roughly 240–360 in. Growth rate is slow.

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Every list Kousa Dogwood belongs to.

All trees·Seldom damaged·Part shade plants·Mast and fruit trees

Hardy in these zones

Zone 5·Zone 6·Zone 7·Zone 8

Damage ratings follow the four-step field scale published by Rutgers University. Growing data is compiled from state extension sources and still being verified record by record. Last reviewed .