Light Needs
Mature Height
Mature Spread
Growing Zones
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.
Milky Way Dogwood Plant Facts
Growing Conditions
- Hardiness ZonesGrowing Zones
- USDA Zones 5 to 8 (perennial); grown as an annual elsewhere (outdoors year-round); grown indoors elsewhere (outdoors year-round); grown in containers elsewhere (grown as a seasonal crop)
- Sun Exposure
- Part Shade to Full Sun (3+ Hours Direct Sun)
- Mature Height
- 20-25 Feet
- Mature Spread
- 20-25 Feet
- Growth Rate
- Slow
- Growth Habit
- , Upright, Mounded
- Water Needs
- Average
Flowers & Foliage
- Flower Colors
- , White
- Flower Description
- White
- Bloom Time
- Late Spring
- Blooms On
-
Old Wood
?
"Blooms on" tells you which stems produce flowers, which decides when it's safe to prune.
- New Wood: Flowers form on stems that grow this season. Prune in late winter or early spring without losing blooms.
- Old Wood: Flower buds form on last year's stems. Prune right after flowering. Pruning in fall or early spring removes next year's blooms.
- Both New and Old Wood: Blooms on last year's stems and again on new growth, so it flowers even after a hard winter or a mistimed pruning. Prune lightly after the first flush of blooms.
- When to Prune
- Right after flowering
- Harvest Time
- Late Summer
- Foliage Color
- , Green
- Foliage Description
- Green, purple-red fall foliage
- Foliage Type
- , Deciduous
- Seasonal Interest
- , Summer Flowering, 3 Season Interest, Fall Interest
Garden Benefits
Plant Overview
- Common Name
- Milky Way Dogwood
- Botanical Name
- CORNUS KOUSA 'MILKY WAY'
- Plant Type
- Tree
Simple Plant Spacing Calculator
Please Note: The pictures below are to give a general representation of the different container sizes. The actual size/ages of plants are estimates and will vary based on type of plant, time of year, last pruning & many other factors.
Also Known As:
Quart
Plant Age:
~ 6 months - 1 year
Plant Size:
~ 4"-8"
Pot Size:
~ 4.75"H x 4.5"W
Volume:
1.50 quarts
Also Known As:
2.5 Quart Pot
Plant Age:
~ 1 - 2 years old
Plant Size:
~ 8"-12"
Pot Size:
~ 6.5"H x 6.5"W
Volume:
2.20-2.30 quarts
Also Known As:
#1 Container
1 Gallon
Plant Age:
~ 1 - 2 years old
Plant Size:
~ 10"-14"
Pot Size:
~ 7"H x 7.75"W
Volume:
2.26-3.73 quarts
Also Known As:
#2 Container
2 Gallon
Plant Age:
~ 1.5 - 3 years old
Plant Size:
~ 12"-18"
Pot Size:
~ 9.5"H x 9.5"W
Volume:
1.19-1.76 gallons
Also Known As:
#3 Container
3 Gallon
Plant Age:
~ 2 - 4 years old
Plant Size:
~ 12"-30"
Pot Size:
~9.5"H x 11"W
Volume:
2.32-2.76 gallons
Also Known As:
#5 Container
5 Gallon
Plant Age:
~3-4 years old
Plant Size:
~ 20" - 60"
Pot Size:
~11" H x 10 1/2” W
Volume:
3.5 - 4 gallons
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Plants that are currently in stock typically ship within 2-7 business days after your order is placed.
Plant Addicts ships to the lower 48 states within the U.S. Unfortunately, we do not currently ship to Alaska, Hawaii, or internationally.
This plant cannot be shipped to the following states: AK, HI. These restrictions apply only to this specific plant due to agricultural regulations or other limitations. Other plants may still be available for shipping to these states.
If you have any questions about shipping restrictions, feel free to reach out to our team!