{"id":"cornus-kousa-var-chinensis","license":"CC-BY-4.0","data":{"scientificName":"Cornus kousa var. chinensis","commonNames":["Kousa dogwood"],"taxonRank":"species","acceptedName":"Cornus kousa","family":"Cornaceae","ids":{"usdaSymbol":"COKO2","gbifKey":3082274,"itisTsn":507498,"wikidataQid":"Q728441","inatTaxonId":128614},"usdaZoneMin":"5a","zoneSource":"fps-2016","states":["DC","DE","MD","NJ","NY","OH","PA","WV"],"invasiveIn":[{"state":"HI","status":"invasive-reported","source":"us-riis"},{"state":"L48","status":"invasive-reported","source":"us-riis"}],"statusAssertions":[{"status":"invasive","channel":"ecological","geography":{"grain":"aggregate-region","regions":["HI"]},"source":"us-riis-v2","sourceRecordId":"USRIIS-HI-Plantae12003","sourceVersion":"2.0 (November 2022)","asOf":"2022-10-23T00:00:00.000Z","sourceModified":"2019-05-17T00:00:00.000Z","sourceTaxon":{"name":"Cornus kousa","rank":"species","rawRank":"Species"},"sourceDesignation":{"code":"D2","label":"invasive (category D2)"},"associatedReferences":["Imada (2019), http://hbs.bishopmuseum.org/publications/pdf/tr69.pdf"],"taxonProjection":{"basis":"accepted-name","notes":"exact source identifier, rank, family, and scientific/accepted name"}},{"status":"widespread-invasive","channel":"ecological","geography":{"grain":"aggregate-region","regions":["L48"]},"source":"us-riis-v2","sourceRecordId":"USRIIS-L48-Plantae7301","sourceVersion":"2.0 (November 2022)","asOf":"2022-10-23T00:00:00.000Z","sourceModified":"2022-05-09T00:00:00.000Z","sourceTaxon":{"name":"Cornus kousa","rank":"species","rawRank":"Species"},"sourceDesignation":{"code":"E","label":"widespread invasive (category E)"},"associatedReferences":["USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) PLANTS Database (2021amu), https://plants.usda.gov/home/plantProfile?symbol=COKO2"],"taxonProjection":{"basis":"accepted-name","notes":"exact source identifier, rank, family, and scientific/accepted name"}}],"hardinessAssertions":[{"minimum":"5","interpretation":"ambiguous-single-value","precision":"whole-zone","zoneMapping":"source-stated","applicability":"uncertain","applicabilityNotes":"The recovered selector prints one Cold Hardiness Zone value but does not define it as a minimum threshold or a one-zone range.","source":"fps-eastern-us","sourceRecordId":"cornus-kousa-var-chinensis","sourceTaxon":"Cornus kousa var. chinensis","taxonMatch":"exact","sourcePlacement":"Cold Hardiness Zone field in the recovered selector record","sourceVersion":"2016-wayback","asOf":"2026-08-26T00:00:00.000Z"},{"minimum":"5","maximum":"8","interpretation":"explicit-range","precision":"whole-zone","zoneMapping":"source-stated","applicability":"applicable","source":"msu-e2948","sourceRecordId":"tree:Cornus kousa","sourceTaxon":"Cornus kousa","taxonMatch":"accepted-name","sourcePlacement":"Table 1, tree row","sourceVersion":"New, January 2007","asOf":"2026-08-26T00:00:00.000Z"}],"plantForm":"tree","matureHeightFt":15,"sun":"part","photo":{"file":"/images/plants/cornus-kousa-var-chinensis.jpg","sourceUrl":"https://www.inaturalist.org/photos/165807875","observationUrl":"https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/99468245","license":"cc-by","attribution":"(c) Jacy Chen, some rights reserved (CC BY)","fetchedOn":"2026-08-23T00:00:00.000Z"},"evidence":[{"source":"fps-eastern-us","verdict":"recommend","verdictRaw":"Firewise (1)","claims":"Only available with white bracts-flowers after leaves emerge-edible fruit.","sourcePlacement":{"value":"LZ2","scheme":"fps-landscape-zone"},"edition":"2016-wayback","accessedOn":"2026-08-23T00:00:00.000Z"},{"source":"va-firescapes","verdict":"recommend","verdictRaw":"L flammability","claims":"Will not tolerate wet soils. More heat tolerant than above species.","edition":"2009","url":"http://web.archive.org/web/20090709143736/http://pubs.ext.vt.edu/430/430-300/430-300.pdf","accessedOn":"2026-08-23T00:00:00.000Z"},{"source":"ut-sp685","verdict":"recommend","verdictRaw":"listed Firewise plant","original":"va-firescapes","url":"https://utia.tennessee.edu/publications/wp-content/uploads/sites/269/2023/10/SP685.pdf","accessedOn":"2026-08-23T00:00:00.000Z"},{"source":"msu-e2948","verdict":"recommend","verdictRaw":"considered wildfire-resistant and are recommended for Michigan’s climate","claims":"Table 1 row: Cornus kousa (Chinese kousa dogwood).","edition":"New, January 2007","url":"https://web.archive.org/web/20070714035839/http://www.firewise.org/usa/files/mi_wildfire_resistant.pdf","documentDate":"2007-01-01T00:00:00.000Z","accessedOn":"2026-08-25T00:00:00.000Z"},{"source":"mdfs-firewise-landscaping-plants","verdict":"recommend","verdictRaw":"relatively resistant to fire","claims":"Listed as Cornus kousa (Kousa/Chinese Dogwood). The source says listed species exhibit stronger resistance to ignition by wildfires. Source comments: Intolerant of wet soils. More heat tolerant than other dogwoods","plantPart":"whole-plant","sourcePlacement":{"value":"Deciduous Trees","scheme":"Maryland Firewise plant-form tables"},"edition":"2015 archived PDF","url":"https://web.archive.org/web/20250408035155/https://dnr.maryland.gov/forests/documents/fire/firewise_plants.pdf","documentDate":"2015-01-08T00:00:00.000Z","accessedOn":"2026-08-25T00:00:00.000Z"}],"flammabilityClass":"fire-resistant","ratingReason":"consensus","recommendation":"on-list","author":"grayson-graham","reviewStatus":"draft","lastVerified":"2026-08-23T00:00:00.000Z","reviewNotes":"Photo auto-selected (top-voted iNat); human review pending."},"localAssessmentInputs":{"stateDistribution":["DC","DE","MD","NJ","NY","OH","PA","WV"],"nativeStates":[],"rangeAssertions":[{"relation":"documented-occurrence","geography":{"grain":"state","stateCodes":["DC","DE","MD","NJ","NY","OH","PA","WV"]},"provenance":"legacy-field"}],"usdaZoneMin":"5a","usdaZoneMax":null,"hardinessAssertions":[{"minimum":"5","interpretation":"ambiguous-single-value","precision":"whole-zone","zoneMapping":"source-stated","applicability":"uncertain","applicabilityNotes":"The recovered selector prints one Cold Hardiness Zone value but does not define it as a minimum threshold or a one-zone range.","source":"fps-eastern-us","sourceRecordId":"cornus-kousa-var-chinensis","sourceTaxon":"Cornus kousa var. chinensis","taxonMatch":"exact","sourcePlacement":"Cold Hardiness Zone field in the recovered selector record","sourceVersion":"2016-wayback","asOf":"2026-08-26T00:00:00.000Z","provenance":"cited"},{"minimum":"5","maximum":"8","interpretation":"explicit-range","precision":"whole-zone","zoneMapping":"source-stated","applicability":"applicable","source":"msu-e2948","sourceRecordId":"tree:Cornus kousa","sourceTaxon":"Cornus kousa","taxonMatch":"accepted-name","sourcePlacement":"Table 1, tree row","sourceVersion":"New, January 2007","asOf":"2026-08-26T00:00:00.000Z","provenance":"cited"}],"hardinessSelection":{"status":"selected","assertion":{"minimum":"5","maximum":"8","interpretation":"explicit-range","precision":"whole-zone","zoneMapping":"source-stated","applicability":"applicable","source":"msu-e2948","sourceRecordId":"tree:Cornus kousa","sourceTaxon":"Cornus kousa","taxonMatch":"accepted-name","sourcePlacement":"Table 1, tree row","sourceVersion":"New, January 2007","asOf":"2026-08-26T00:00:00.000Z","provenance":"cited"},"assertions":[{"minimum":"5","interpretation":"ambiguous-single-value","precision":"whole-zone","zoneMapping":"source-stated","applicability":"uncertain","applicabilityNotes":"The recovered selector prints one Cold Hardiness Zone value but does not define it as a minimum threshold or a one-zone range.","source":"fps-eastern-us","sourceRecordId":"cornus-kousa-var-chinensis","sourceTaxon":"Cornus kousa var. chinensis","taxonMatch":"exact","sourcePlacement":"Cold Hardiness Zone field in the recovered selector record","sourceVersion":"2016-wayback","asOf":"2026-08-26T00:00:00.000Z","provenance":"cited"},{"minimum":"5","maximum":"8","interpretation":"explicit-range","precision":"whole-zone","zoneMapping":"source-stated","applicability":"applicable","source":"msu-e2948","sourceRecordId":"tree:Cornus kousa","sourceTaxon":"Cornus kousa","taxonMatch":"accepted-name","sourcePlacement":"Table 1, tree row","sourceVersion":"New, January 2007","asOf":"2026-08-26T00:00:00.000Z","provenance":"cited"}]},"invasiveIn":[{"state":"HI","status":"invasive-reported","source":"us-riis"},{"state":"L48","status":"invasive-reported","source":"us-riis"}],"statusAssertions":[{"status":"invasive","channel":"ecological","geography":{"grain":"aggregate-region","regions":["HI"]},"source":"us-riis-v2","sourceRecordId":"USRIIS-HI-Plantae12003","sourceVersion":"2.0 (November 2022)","asOf":"2022-10-23T00:00:00.000Z","sourceModified":"2019-05-17T00:00:00.000Z","sourceTaxon":{"name":"Cornus kousa","rank":"species","rawRank":"Species"},"sourceDesignation":{"code":"D2","label":"invasive (category D2)"},"associatedReferences":["Imada (2019), http://hbs.bishopmuseum.org/publications/pdf/tr69.pdf"],"taxonProjection":{"basis":"accepted-name","notes":"exact source identifier, rank, family, and scientific/accepted name"},"provenance":"cited"},{"status":"widespread-invasive","channel":"ecological","geography":{"grain":"aggregate-region","regions":["L48"]},"source":"us-riis-v2","sourceRecordId":"USRIIS-L48-Plantae7301","sourceVersion":"2.0 (November 2022)","asOf":"2022-10-23T00:00:00.000Z","sourceModified":"2022-05-09T00:00:00.000Z","sourceTaxon":{"name":"Cornus kousa","rank":"species","rawRank":"Species"},"sourceDesignation":{"code":"E","label":"widespread invasive (category E)"},"associatedReferences":["USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) PLANTS Database (2021amu), https://plants.usda.gov/home/plantProfile?symbol=COKO2"],"taxonProjection":{"basis":"accepted-name","notes":"exact source identifier, rank, family, and scientific/accepted name"},"provenance":"cited"}],"fireEvidenceClass":"fire-resistant","recommendation":"on-list","fireSourceScopes":[{"source":"mdfs-firewise-landscaping-plants","sourceName":"Firewise Landscaping Plants (Maryland, New Jersey, and West Virginia editions)","sourceUrl":"https://web.archive.org/web/20250408035155/https://dnr.maryland.gov/forests/documents/fire/firewise_plants.pdf","geography":{"grain":"state","stateCodes":["MD"]},"completeness":"partial","reviewStatus":"reviewed","scope":"Maryland Forest Service says the list contains plants that can be grown in Maryland and identifies Maryland natives. FireApproved publishes 169 exact source owners from the 180 printed rows; an unrepresentable form and duplicate-owner rows are not broadened. The list calls itself non-comprehensive and does not establish suitability for every Maryland site.","sourceVersion":"Maryland-Firewise-Plants-2015-01-08","asOf":"2015-01-08T00:00:00.000Z"},{"source":"mdfs-firewise-landscaping-plants","sourceName":"Firewise Landscaping Plants (Maryland, New Jersey, and West Virginia editions)","sourceUrl":"https://www.nj.gov/dep/parksandforests/fire/docs/Firewise_Landscaping_Plants_for_NJ.pdf","geography":{"grain":"state","stateCodes":["NJ"]},"completeness":"partial","reviewStatus":"reviewed","scope":"New Jersey DEP publishes a state edition saying the listed plants can be grown in New Jersey and are relatively resistant to fire. Its same 180 printed taxon occurrences map to the 169 conservative owners already normalized for the template family. The list is non-comprehensive and does not establish suitability for every New Jersey site or override the Pinelands Commission's separate placement and fuel-break rules.","sourceVersion":"New-Jersey-Firewise-Landscaping-Plants-archive-2025-09-01"},{"source":"mdfs-firewise-landscaping-plants","sourceName":"Firewise Landscaping Plants (Maryland, New Jersey, and West Virginia editions)","sourceUrl":"https://wvforestry.com/pdf/Firewise%20Landscaping%20Plants%20for%20WV.pdf","geography":{"grain":"state","stateCodes":["WV"]},"completeness":"partial","reviewStatus":"reviewed","scope":"West Virginia Division of Forestry publishes a state edition saying the listed plants can be grown in West Virginia and are relatively resistant to fire. Its same 180 printed taxon occurrences map to the 169 conservative owners already normalized for the template family. The list is non-comprehensive and provides no comparative or site-specific rating.","sourceVersion":"West-Virginia-DOF-Firewise-Landscaping-Plants-live-2026-08-26","asOf":"2026-08-26T00:00:00.000Z"},{"source":"msu-e2948","sourceName":"Wildfire-resistant Landscape Plants for Michigan (Extension Bulletin E2948)","sourceUrl":"https://web.archive.org/web/20070714035839/http://www.firewise.org/usa/files/mi_wildfire_resistant.pdf","geography":{"grain":"state","stateCodes":["MI"]},"completeness":"partial","reviewStatus":"reviewed","scope":"Michigan State University Extension Bulletin E2948 is explicitly a list of wildfire-resistant landscape plants for Michigan and includes a Michigan-native field. FireApproved publishes 221 exact GBIF owners from 226 represented source rows and holds 15 complex or non-exact rows. This dated publication scope is not a current site-suitability determination.","sourceVersion":"MSU-Extension-E2948-2007","asOf":"2007-01-01T00:00:00.000Z"},{"source":"ut-sp685","sourceName":"Landscaping Guidelines to Protect Your Home from Wildfire (SP685)","sourceUrl":"https://utia.tennessee.edu/publications/wp-content/uploads/sites/269/2023/10/SP685.pdf","geography":{"grain":"state","stateCodes":["TN"]},"completeness":"partial","reviewStatus":"reviewed","scope":"University of Tennessee Extension SP685 is Tennessee landscape guidance and publishes 78 represented plant owners. Most table rows are a carrier of Virginia Firescapes rather than an independent rating; Tennessee source scope does not change that lineage or establish site suitability.","sourceVersion":"UT-Extension-SP685-2006-10-24","asOf":"2006-10-24T00:00:00.000Z"},{"source":"va-firescapes","sourceName":"Virginia Firescapes — Firewise Landscaping for Woodland Homes (430-300)","sourceUrl":"http://web.archive.org/web/20090709143736/http://pubs.ext.vt.edu/430/430-300/430-300.pdf","geography":{"grain":"state","stateCodes":["VA"]},"completeness":"partial","reviewStatus":"reviewed","scope":"Virginia Cooperative Extension's publication opens with Virginia wildfire conditions, identifies its Virginia Firewise Landscaping Task Force, and labels plants native to Virginia. FireApproved publishes 306 exact source owners. Publication scope does not establish parcel suitability or current endorsement of this archived 2009 list.","sourceVersion":"Virginia-VCE-430-300-2009","asOf":"2009-04-15T00:00:00.000Z"}],"firePerformanceConditions":[],"maintenanceAssertions":[],"maintenanceConditions":null,"regulatoryReviews":{},"seedReviews":{}},"legacyCompatibilityProjection":{"nativeStates":[],"invasiveIn":[{"state":"HI","status":"invasive-reported","source":"us-riis-v2"},{"state":"L48","status":"invasive-reported","source":"us-riis-v2"}],"usdaZoneMin":"5","usdaZoneMax":"8"},"localAssessmentContract":"Compare each dimension separately. State noxious-weed seed designations are material-scoped and never become non-seed plant restrictions, ecological-invasive findings, nursery restrictions, alternatives, product evidence, or fire votes. Introduced/established context is not an invasive warning. Minimum-only hardiness has no inferred maximum; canonical source-temperature conversion is validated and contradictory applicable rows project no primary zone. L48 context applies only to conterminous states and is never exact-state status. Fire-performance conditions are not maintenance advice. FEIS fire-ecology context does not vote in the plant classification. Absence of a status row is not regulatory clearance."}