Cornus kousa Pévé Foggy - Flowering Dogwood

The Cornus kousa 'Pevé Foggy' is a variety of Japanese Dogwood that will delight fans of original shrubs. With its fine white variegation and elongated leaves with curiously undulating edges, it stands out from the others. However, its flowering is classic, in the form of white four-branched stars. Round berries, quite ornamental, follow in the favour of a sufficiently warm summer. In autumn, the vegetation takes on superb red colours attracting attention in the garden. Fairly vigorous and hardy, this large bush grows in non-limestone, fresh, well-drained soil, sheltered from too much direct sunlight.

The Dogwood belongs to the small family of the Cornaceae, which, after several revisions of the classification, now includes only the genera Cornus and Alangium. The Cornus kousa is a tree of small development or a large bush, native to Japan, China, and Korea. Its graphic silhouette, supported by tiered and horizontal branches, gives it a Japanese appearance. The botanical species has given rise to several horticultural varieties, the result of the work of breeders.

'Pevé Foggy' has characteristic foliage, which will not leave you indifferent. The lanceolate leaves are very elongated, with a tapered and pointed tip. The lamina is slightly V-shaped, and its edges undulate curiously, sometimes causing the leaf to bend slightly on a horizontal plane. A slightly greyish green, the leaf is adorned with a fine cream-white border that runs around the entire periphery, further accentuating the plant's originality.
This Dogwood has slightly faster growth than other varieties, with the stems growing 15 to 40 cm (6 to 16in) per year and a height after 10 years of cultivation of about 2.50 m (8ft). Eventually, it will reach a height of between 3 m (10ft) and 4.50 m (15ft) and a spread of 2 m (7ft) to 3.75 m (12ft). Like other varieties, it produces flower heads in spring (from mid-May to late June) consisting of small spherical flowers in the centre, surrounded by four large white bracts. Each bract has a lanceolate shape and they come together to form a star of approximately 10 cm (4in) in diameter, initially slightly greenish and then turning a beautiful white colour. Very numerous, flowering horizontally just above the foliage, these "flowers" resemble delicately posed butterflies. The "flowers" are followed by 2.5 cm (1in) diameter red fruits, similar to strawberries. The higher the summer temperatures, the more abundant the fruiting. The fruits are edible, fleshy, with a sweet flavour, but they are more ornamental than tasty. Like many other varieties, this Japanese Dogwood finishes the season beautifully when its foliage turns red before falling.

The Cornus kousa 'Pevé Foggy' thrives in continental climates with distinct summers and winters, but also performs well in milder areas. In hot regions, it should be planted in a sheltered location from the scorching sun. You can showcase it by planting it alone on a lawn, which it deserves, as its foliage, flowering, and fruits offer a spectacle throughout the entire growing season. It will also be perfect as a backdrop to a landscaped bed, mixing perennials and shrubs, and even trees in the background under the edge of which it will thrive in very sunny climates. Plant the superb Acer japonicum 'Vitifolium' next to it, a Japanese Maple with large, very architectural palmate leaves, light green in spring, darkening in summer, and then turning a bright orange and crimson red in autumn. To accompany the flowering of your Dogwood, opt for the Chinese Azalea 'Arneson Gem' with large orange-yellow flowers, stunning against the shiny green foliage and contrasting well with the white bracts of 'Pevé Foggy'. And to extend the flowering season, consider Hamamelis, which will reward you with their delicate spider-like flowers in the middle of winter, and Hydrangeas, which will brighten the end of the season with their beautiful flowers.