Cherry plum vs Kousa dogwood

Cherry plum and Kousa dogwood are often considered for the same spot in the garden (specimen, flowers, pollinator friendly). The data below shows where they differ: size, hardiness, care, toxicity and price.

Cherry plum

Prunus cerasifera 4.5 m × 3.5 m after 10 years

In gardens it is grown almost only in its purple-leaved forms: a small ornamental tree with a rounded crown that is covered in pale pink, scented…

Small tree

Full sun

Part shade

from about CZK 600

Kousa dogwood

Cornus kousa 3 m × 2.5 m after 10 years

An elegant, slow small tree or large shrub that carries white, star-shaped bracts for weeks in late spring, then turns red in autumn and bears…

Small tree

Full sun

Part shade

from about CZK 1,700

Key differences

Cherry plum grows larger: 4.5 m × 3.5 m after ten years, against 3 m × 2.5 m for Kousa dogwood (an estimate: sources differ).
Cherry plum grows faster than Kousa dogwood.
Cherry plum copes better with summer heat than Kousa dogwood.
Cherry plum tolerates drought better than Kousa dogwood.
Cherry plum also takes chalky soil, Kousa dogwood prefers acidic soil and struggles on chalk.
Cherry plum also takes heavy clay, Kousa dogwood needs a loose, free-draining soil.
Kousa dogwood is non-toxic to children, Cherry plum is not.
Cherry plum is harvested in July–August, Kousa dogwood in September–October.

Which one to choose?

Cherry plum is the better choice if you want quick results, the spot is hot and sunny, you cannot water regularly or the soil is chalky.

Kousa dogwood is the better choice if space is tight or small children use the garden.

Watch out for

Cherry plum

It is a short-lived tree with brittle wood, and it shares the diseases of stone fruit: brown rot (Monilia) causes shoot dieback after flowering and fruit rot, and shot-hole disease, powdery mildew and gumming are common. Cut infected, withered twigs back to healthy wood and clear away fallen diseased leaves. Aphids and winter moth caterpillars attack it regularly. The bark of young trees can split in cold, sunny winters, so protecting the trunk in the first years is worthwhile.

Kousa dogwood

In the hot, dry summers of Central Europe the leaf edges scorch in full sun when the soil dries out, so mulch and water it. Chlorosis on alkaline soil and root rot in heavy wet clay can occur. Powdery mildew and leaf spots turn up, but it is far more disease resistant than flowering dogwood. Fallen ripe fruit is messy on paving and attracts wasps.

The data side by side

Feature	Cherry plum	Kousa dogwood
Group	Small tree	Small tree
Size after 10 years	4.5 m × 3.5 m (uncertain)	3 m × 2.5 m (uncertain)
Ultimate size	5–9 m × 3–7.5 m	4.5–9 m × 4.5–9 m
Growth rate	Medium	Slow
Light	Full sun, Part shade	Full sun, Part shade
Soil	Average garden soil, Clay, Sandy, Calcareous, Acidic	Average garden soil, Acidic
Hardiness	down to -29 °C (USDA 4, RHS H7)	down to -29 °C (USDA 4, RHS H7)
Heat tolerance	High	Medium
Foliage	Deciduous	Deciduous
Flowering	March–April, pink, white	May–June, white, pink
Water need	Medium	Medium
Drought tolerance	Medium	Low
Maintenance	Medium	Low
Planting distance	500 cm	400 cm
For dogs	Toxic (uncertain)	Non-toxic (uncertain)
For cats	Toxic (uncertain)	Non-toxic (uncertain)
For children	Mildly toxic	Non-toxic
Typical price	about CZK 1,300 (100–150 cm)	about CZK 3,300 (60–100 cm)

Prices are rounded, indicative values. Toxicity data is for information only. If your pet or child has eaten a plant, contact a vet or a doctor. Data updated: October 17, 2026

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