Milky Way Dogwood

Light Needs

Partial Shade to Full Sun

(At Least 3 Hours of Direct Sunlight)

Mature Height

20 - 25 Feet

Mature Spread

20 - 25 Feet

Growing Zones

5 to 8

The Milky Way Dogwood provides visual interest throughout the year, making this a wonderful plant to feature in a landscape. This summer-blooming shrub features four-petal cream-white blooms; each petal comes to a point. The flowers emerge in mid-June, and in no time, the entire plant will be covered in blooms. The shrub is covered in bright red fruit that complements the dramatic purple-red fall foliage in the fall. The Cornus kousa Milky Way is deciduous, but when the foliage drops, the mottled trunk and branches that have a camouflage-like look will be on display.

This plant has an upright growth habit and grows as a perennial in USDA zones 5 through 8. Use the Milky Way Dogwood in borders or as a specimen planting. This large plant will reach 20 to 25 feet tall and grow just as wide, so it needs plenty of space. The berries are a food source for birds, so there will be a lot of activity around the plant in the fall.

Milky Way Dogwood Care

Plant the Milky Way Dogwood in full sun to partial shade. Use moist, rich, well-drained soil that is acidic to neutral. Water this Dogwood when the top several inches of soil dry out. The Milky Way Dogwood is drought-tolerant, but keeping up with a regular water routine, especially during a dry spell, will keep the plant lush and healthy. 

Top-dress the ground with organic compost each spring to provide an extra nutritional boost. The plant naturally maintains a good shape, so pruning is unnecessary, but remove dead or damaged growth as needed.

Milky Way Dogwood Spacing

This upright plant will grow 20 to 25 feet tall and equally wide. Space the Milky Way Dogwood 14 to 18 feet apart from other Dogwoods when creating a row. The plants should be placed about 14 feet from buildings or other large trees.