Cornus kousa 'Samzam' SAMARITAN® Japanese dogwood
Cornus
Cornus is a genus that botanists rightly regard as true aristocracy among woody plants. It comprises approximately 50–60 species of trees and shrubs distributed mainly across the temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere, with centres of diversity in East Asia and North America. Fossil records confirm its presence as early as the Tertiary period, and the first scientific description of the genus was published by Carl Linnaeus (1707–1778) in 1753 in his Species Plantarum. For centuries, dogwoods have accompanied human culture not only as ornamental plants, but also as sources of exceptionally hard timber, medicinal substances and symbolic meaning in folk traditions, where they often represent strength, order and longevity.
Japanese dogwood (Cornus kousa) originates from East Asia, where it occurs naturally in Japan, Korea, and parts of China. It was scientifically described in the 19th century based on Asian plant material examined by Henry Fletcher Hance (1827–1886), who published it under the name Cornus kousa. The species was introduced into European and North American botanical collections, and later into nursery production, during the wave of botanical exploration and plant exchange at the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries. It was valued primarily for its pronounced seasonal interest, offering ornamental appeal from spring through autumn, and for its edible fruits. Japanese and Chinese botanists studied its variability in the wild and, in the past, described local forms that were treated as two subspecies, ssp. kousa and ssp. chinensis. While some authors regarded ssp. chinensis as a more vigorous, loosely flowering form with larger inflorescences and considered it worthy of formal recognition, modern taxonomy generally prefers to treat the species simply as Cornus kousa, without further infraspecific distinction.
SAMARITAN® Japanese dogwood is easily recognized from a distance. Its variegated foliage steps out of any hedge or landscape. The deciduous leaves are acuminate, ovate, medium green with white or near white margins, and turn brilliant shades of crimson and burgundy red with some gold hues in autumn. They droop just like pear tree leaves.
SAMARITAN® is a variety from the Biblical Series developed in Lake County Nursery in Ohio, USA. It was bred by Jim Zampini (1932-2017) who introduced and registered over 200 new plants during his fruitful horticultural life. He was said to be such an active breeder that even at the age of 80, when most of his former colleagues enjoyed retirement and comfort of their rocking chairs, he would drive 120 km/h on a highway and still spot an interesting or new taxon growing nearby.
In late May appears a profusion of flowers that are composed of 4 showy, creamy white, pointed bracts (often mistaken for true petals) surrounding small, spherical flower-heads in the middle. They are followed by rosy red, edible fruit in September which looks like small litchi. SAMARITAN® grows moderately to fast into an upright, rather well-behaved shrub of good screening density. It requires little or no pruning, however, if you need to keep it smaller cut it soon after flowering.
Every dogwood likes acidic soil, rich in organic material, and always moist but well-drained soil. Some gardeners advise planting it in semi-shade to reduce summer sunlight, but we do not recommend that. Plant it in full sun and mulch the roots well. In dry spells provide extra watering and thus you can be sure your dogwood will flower profusely and will be richer and healthier. Use of selective fertilizers supporting flowering and leaf colour is advised. Fully hardy to about -29°C (USDA zone 5).
Last update 08-06-2020.
