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'Milky Way' Japanese Dogwood Tree | Cornus kousa
The best flowers in the galaxy
Grown by John
South Downs National Park
The highlights
- A compact tree (from 3-6m tall)
- Cream white flower bracts in June
- Stunning foliage and unusual red berries
- Fully hardy and incredibly easy to grow
Description
- A small tree that's perfect for more space-limited gardens, 'Milky Way' is carpeted in large, creamy bracts (which surround tiny flower clusters) in the summer
- Ovate, pointed leaves are green in the summer, before taking on blazing amber and crimson hues in autumn
- When young, 'Milky Way' has a vase-like shape, before spreading and becoming more rounded with age
- Unusual red, globular berries (which we think look a bit like sea mines or massage balls...) adorn the tree throughout the autumn; these are edible but most people treat them as ornamental
- A fully hardy tree that can tolerate temperatures down to -20°C and withstand being planted in an exposed site
- Our potted trees are supplied in EcoPots. Eco pots use 70% less plastic and are fully recyclable, unlike normal single use pots. They flex and so produce less root spiralling and travel better in the post
- Our trees are usually between 18 and 36 months old at the time of dispatch
- Our trees are professionally pruned before dispatching. This formative pruning can involve cutting the main leader, if the expert tree growers decide this will produce a better shaped tree. This can stop the tree becoming "leggy", and promote stronger, bushier growth
What To Expect
Supplied as:
Height on arrival:
Eventual height:
Eventual spread:
Time to first crop:
Flower colour:
Habit:
Hardiness:
Rootstock:
Spacing:
How To Grow
Excellent pest and disease resistance
This tree is generally unaffected by pests and diseases, however it can be affected by cornus anthracnose. Practicing good plant hygiene and promptly removing dead/dying plant matter can help prevent this.
Water Regularly During Growing Season
Water the tree regularly throughout the growing season, particularly during drought spells and in the tree's first few years as it establishes.
Full sun to partial shade
Plant in a sunny, sheltered position. This tree will tolerate dappled shade but will flower best in full sun (around 6 hours of sunlight per day).
Neutral to acidic, well-drained soil
Prefers loamy, neutral to acid soil but will grow in any soil as long as it's well-drained. If your soil is heavier, mix in some perlite or horticultural grit during planting, as this will help with drainage.
Feed in spring
After planting your tree, add some slow release, general purpose fertiliser and mulch around the tree's base to ensure all the water and nutrients get to the roots. Over time, replace the mulch, and feed the tree with slow release fertiliser annually in spring to help the plant maintain its growth and overall health.
Planting Calendar
- Best time to plant
- Harvest
- Flower
South Downs National Park
Meet John
110 years' expertise free with every tree
John’s family have been growing trees in the South Downs National Park for over a century, and it shows. Dug up and sent straight to your garden at between 18-36 months old, their quality rootstocks, expert pruning and natural pest control mean that these traditionally field-grown trees are the hardiest you can get.
What customers say about us
We do our best to provide you the best experience ever
Growing with Roots
Good to know
Our plants are grown in the UK
Specialist UK growers we know and trust grow your plants the traditional way, with organic fertiliser and biological pest control. They pick only the healthiest plants for you, professionally pruning them so that they’ll grow strong and well shaped.
Our plants are delivered overnight
Your plants are sent to you fresh from the field in our plastic free box that’s specially designed to hold them tight, then securely delivered by specialist plant couriers - straight from the grower to your garden within 24 hours.
We're here to help at every step
We want your plants to have a long and healthy life. Expect easy-to-follow grow guides and videos devised by our team of experts.
Perfect plants, guaranteed
We’re confident that you’ll be delighted with your new plants. Need help? Alice and her team are here to guarantee you’re perfectly happy.
Seasons change
Top trees for autumn colour
Rupert Eley, a lifetime autumn colour enthusiast, takes us on a whistle stop tour of his favourite displays within his family gardens, including crabapples, rowans, acers and more.
See our nursery
How we grow your trees
Meet John, our expert tree grower in the South Downs, and see how he raises, prunes and packs all our trees.
Learn from our experts
How To Plant a Tree: Potted Trees and Bare Root
Digging deep to answer your questions
How do I know I'm getting quality plants?
All of our plants are grown in specialist nurseries with the highest standards of plant care and sustainability. We guarantee you'll love them as much as we do! Don't just take our word for it - we've got thousands of great reviews on Trustpilot.
When will I get my plants?
The delivery timescale for each plant is on the web page (near the 'add to basket's button). You'll receive a dispatch email with an exact delivery date once your plants are on their way, so you can get the garden ready.
How will my plants be packed and delivered?
We send all of our orders through a courier network designed to handle plants. Specialist equipment ensures that no plants will be damaged during the packing process and every order is carefully finished and checked by plant-loving humans. Your plants will arrive in the most sustainable packaging possible with minimal to no plastic used.
Where do you deliver?
We deliver to anywhere in Mainland UK for our standard delivery cost. We are able to deliver most plants to Highlands and non UK mainland however this will be at an additional cost. This will be calculated at the checkout. Please note, deliveries to these locations will take longer. Unfortunately, we are not able to deliver to Northern Ireland at present.
Ask the grower
One of our trusted growers will get back to you via email within 24 hours
What customers say about us
We do our best to provide you the best experience ever
Excellent delivery and service
Well, the delivery was spot on, the tree looks healthy enough for a sleeping plant, although at the moment most of the branches are on one side of the trunk which in itself is bent banana-style. quite wonky. One can only hope that it grows into a fruitful plant with some character?
30 January
Nice sized tree in good condition
Time will tell on the quality of the product (bare-root apple trees), but the stems that arrived seemed in great condition and very well packaged so no damage in transit. Looking forward to Spring!
Ange
Appears v healthy
Very happy with purchase
Ms Arlene Bocking
Lovely tree
So happy with my purchase of my Braeburn Hillwell apple tree from Roots Plants. It arrived promptly, well packaged and in a good, healthy condition. I soaked it for an hour before planting and it's doing well. Looking forward to our home grown apples, in time.
Ms Arlene Bocking
It has picked up now and is growing well
It arrived in a heat wave and looked a little bit sorry for itself when planted out but it has picked up now and is growing well.
David Osborne
Good service all round
Arrived on time as the seller said it would and the courier gave me a time slot to track my parcel. It came well packaged and was of good quality for this time of year. It looks a good and healthy tree and will be planted up in a few weeks after the ground has been prepared. I’m pleased with my purchase.
Helen