Common hawthorn vs Kousa dogwood

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

Common hawthorn

Crataegus monogyna 4 m × 3 m after 10 years

A thorny large shrub or small tree that is covered in scented white blossom in May and loaded with red haws in autumn, much loved by birds. It makes…

Small tree

Full sun

Part shade

from about €23

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 €7.90

Key differences

Common hawthorn grows larger: 4 m × 3 m after ten years, against 3 m × 2.5 m for Kousa dogwood (an estimate: sources differ).
Common hawthorn tolerates drought better than Kousa dogwood.
Common hawthorn needs less water than Kousa dogwood.
Common hawthorn also takes chalky soil, Kousa dogwood prefers acidic soil and struggles on chalk.
Common hawthorn also takes heavy clay, Kousa dogwood needs a loose, free-draining soil.
Common hawthorn has thorns, Kousa dogwood does not.

Which one to choose?

Common hawthorn is the better choice if you cannot water regularly, the soil is chalky or the soil is heavy clay.

Kousa dogwood is the better choice if space is tight or it goes next to a path or play area.

Watch out for

Common hawthorn

In Central Europe its main disease is fire blight (Erwinia amylovora): shoot tips blacken and hook over, and affected wood must be cut back well into healthy tissue; do not plant it near apple and pear orchards. By late summer leaf spot, powdery mildew and rust often disfigure the foliage, and aphids, caterpillars and gall mites may appear. Birds spread the seeds, so seedlings can pop up around the garden.

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	Common hawthorn	Kousa dogwood
Group	Small tree	Small tree
Size after 10 years	4 m × 3 m (uncertain)	3 m × 2.5 m (uncertain)
Ultimate size	4–9 m × 4–8 m	4.5–9 m × 4.5–9 m
Growth rate	Medium (uncertain)	Slow
Light	Full sun, Part shade	Full sun, Part shade
Soil	Average garden soil, Clay, Sandy, Calcareous	Average garden soil, Acidic
Hardiness	down to -29 °C (USDA 4, RHS H7)	down to -29 °C (USDA 4, RHS H7)
Heat tolerance	High (uncertain)	Medium
Foliage	Deciduous	Deciduous
Flowering	May–June, white (uncertain)	May–June, white, pink
Water need	Low	Medium
Drought tolerance	High	Low
Maintenance	Low	Low
Planting distance	250 cm	400 cm
For dogs	Non-toxic	Non-toxic (uncertain)
For cats	Non-toxic	Non-toxic (uncertain)
For children	Non-toxic (uncertain)	Non-toxic
Typical price	about €31 (150–200 cm)	about €12 (< 40 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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