Summer Fun Dogwood

About this plant

Cornus kousa 'Summer Fun' is a truly exceptional dogwood, offering year-round interest to the landscape. Its striking, variegated leaves are a vibrant green with creamy-white margins, often flushed with pink in cooler weather, creating a dazzling display even before the flowers emerge. This cultivar boasts an abundance of star-like, white to creamy-white bracts (often mistaken for petals) that grace the tree throughout summer, providing a long-lasting floral show when many other trees are past their prime. Beyond its exquisite beauty, 'Summer Fun' develops an attractive, layered branching habit, adding architectural interest to your garden. As autumn approaches, the foliage transforms into breathtaking shades of red and purple, followed by attractive, raspberry-like fruits that persist into fall, offering a delicious snack for birds. With its multi-season appeal, this dogwood is a fantastic specimen tree, focal point, or understory planting.

Installation timing

When we're in season, outside of the winter months, our goal is to get your plants installed within about two weeks. That window gives us enough time to secure your plants from our supplier and find a spot on the schedule. Throughout the process we stay in touch through notifications and your existing client portal on the main A Cut Above website, which is separate from this landscaping plants shop.

Care & maintenance

Requires consistent moisture during establishment. Prune only to remove dead or crossing branches in late winter to early spring. Avoid heavy pruning as it can disrupt the natural, graceful form. Fertilize in spring with a balanced, slow-release fertilizer formulated for woody plants.

Watering suggestions

Proper watering is the single most important factor in your plant's survival after installation. Newly installed plants have a limited root system and rely on you for consistent moisture while they establish.

• First 2 weeks: Water deeply every day (or every other day in cooler, wet weather), soaking the root ball and surrounding soil.
• Weeks 3–12: Water deeply 2–3 times per week, adjusting for rain, heat, and soil drainage.
• After establishment: Water deeply about once a week during the growing season, and more often in extreme heat or drought.
• How to check: Stick a finger 2–3 inches into the soil near the roots — if it's dry, it's time to water. Deep, less-frequent watering encourages strong roots; shallow daily sprinkles do not.
• Avoid: Overwatering (soggy, waterlogged soil) is just as harmful as underwatering and can drown roots.

Watering needs vary by plant, season, soil, and exposure. Because proper watering is the customer's responsibility after installation, please make sure you understand and can follow these suggestions before ordering.

Good to know: plants and trees purchased from and installed by A Cut Above include a one-year limited warranty from the date of installation. Because plant survival depends heavily on proper watering and care after installation, losses caused by improper care, neglect, animal or chemical damage, or extreme weather are not covered, and we must be given the chance to inspect a struggling plant before it's removed or replaced. Coverage is one replacement per plant. Read our warranty info.