Cornus kousa 'Madame Butterfly'

A recent introduction, Cornus kousa 'Madame Butterfly' is a stunning plant with broad, creamy bracts in mid summer which show faint pink tints as they age. The flower bracts curve upward slightly and are said to give the appearance of white butterflies in flight.

The leaves are dark green with colourful autumn tints and once established this Cornus can produces large red-orange, lychee-like fruit in September after a hot summer. This cultivar is similar in appearance to Cornus kousa 'China Girl' but differs in that it seems to have fewer yet larger flower bracts.

• Position: Full sun.
• Soil: Any fertile soil.
• Hardiness: Hardy
• Flowering Period: June.
• Rate of Growth: Moderate.
• Habit: Cornus kousa 'Madame Butterfly' grows to be a large shrub or eventually small tree with a dense, spreading habit.
  • Height: 5 m (16 ft).
  • Spread: 5 m (16 ft).

• Notes: The flowering of this Cornus is somewhat dependent upon the previous years summer weather. After a long hot summer, the following years flowering will be magnificent and after a cold, wet summer the following years flowering will be poor or sporadic.