I pulled a couple off a tree about two weeks ago. To the chagrin of my wife I tore one open and tasted it. Sweet, but not much to enjoy (I didn't attempt to eat the whole fruit). Given their size I don't think I would personally devote space to them.

Sorry I couldn't tell you more.

~Chills

That's ok, thank you for the info. I tried one today and it was sweet but hardly any pulp like you said. We already have a few as ornamentals, was just really surprised to read that the fruits are actually edible!

Chills,
You don't want to eat the whole fruit - the skin is gritty and disagreeable. Just tear 'em open and massage/suck the pulp into your mouth.
They're OK in small numbers, but I wouldn't want to sit down and eat a whole bunch of them at one sitting.
I've had one friend who indicated that he experienced a 'racing heartbeat'(tachycardia?) following eating Kousa fruits, but it's never been a problem for me.

Agreed, I wouldn't plant 'em just for fruit production, but they are a very nice ornamental, and the edible fruit is an added benefit.

Could I mash a mass-selection of fruits (I have 4 trees in my yard) into a sort of juice or what have you?

Also...Im no environmental horticulturalist nor a tree expert...but if I were to plant a few of the fruits, what would I get? Would it be likely for another tree to spring up? Thanks for you time.

Said to be eaten by monkeys in the wild.

Hi all, as far as I know, all cornus sp. bear edible fruits, some more tasty than others. Cornus mas (cornelian cherry) is the one usually grown for fruit,but over here in cooler parts of the country they grow cornus kousa var. chinensis for fruit, many say they have a taste reminiscent of strawberries. All the best from Aus!

Here in vancouver, wa the squirrels were crazy about them.

The flavor of the pulp is somewhat reminiscent of pawpaw, to me.

I made a jam from my mother's tree. It smelled a bit like a nectarine or apricot to me. It was very easy to jam as once the fruit was expelled, it had the consistency of baby food apricots. Since they do not ripen all at once, I plan to go back and get more.
Robin

I too have made jam out of the Kousa fruits. It has quite a pleasant flavor but in making the jam the gritty cells from the skin mix with the pulp and made for a "sandy" jam. Next time I'll strain the juice through a jelly bag so as to eliminate the sandy texture.

I experiment with jams and jellies all the time with obscure fruits. Most turn out quite nicely, occasionally there are flops...Oh well!

I've had a "Big Apple" Kousa from Raintree in my front yard for about 5 years. The fruit can be eaten, but it's pretty dry and tasteless. Luckily the tree is attractive and it flowers much later than the other dogwoods, so it looks nice.

I worked a landscape nursery and sampled fruit from all the trees we had one fall. They varied in size and taste. Not surprising, since they are usually selected for flower, not fruit. Some weren't worth seconds, but the better ones were quite nice. Kind of a tropical taste, in my opinion. You must discard the exterior, though.

I hope to get several when budget allows. They're attractive and the fruit is a bonus.

Many years ago, I remember reading an article that warned against eating any part of dogwood trees. I'm sure the trees that were referred to were Cornus Florida, the common native dogwood, since the Kousa form was very rare back then (around 1960). The article reported that some boy scouts had become sick after using the branches to hold hot dogs over a fire. They had peeled off the bark, and the sap was said to be so poisonous that two of the scouts had died. In recent years, my two dogs have discovered the fruit of my large Cornus kousa Chinensis. They gorge themselves on the fruit, spitting out the skins and seeds. At first, I used to rake up the fruit to keep it out of their reach thinking that it was probably poisonous. I kept thinking of the unfortunate boy scouts that I had read about many years earlier. For the past few years I've begun to just let the dogs eat the fruit since they don't seem to have suffered any ill effects. After reading several web postings, both here and elsewhere, I've decided to sample some this year when they ripen. I now have about a dozen of these beautiful trees on my property since I transplanted "volunteers" to suitable locations. The trees grow amazingly fast, especially when they're young, and I've even sold several of them. Anyway, in answer to your question, my dogs good health is testament to the safety of eating these strange fruits.

They are delicious! But note, you cannot eat more than 15 or so before becoming adverse to them. Pick the squishiest, almost rotten ones and squeeze into your mouth. Mmmmmm! Severely rotten ones will taste like the smell of gasoline, and if you have the right ones (you will know the difference after picking for a while), they taste tropical. Not too sugary, and just a tad bland enough to have you seeking more for the tropical taste.

I suggest Cornus Kousa 'Samaritain'.

My dad picks the fruit and makes homemade brandy with it, TASTY!!

I had an adverse reaction to them myself. I cut up 2 or three and mixed the pulp with yogurt - I liked that mango-like flavor. But by the time the evening came I was unable to hold a glass in my hand! Every time I picked up a glass to drink the holding hand would shake. I have never had that experience in my entire life and have not had it since. I am confident that my nerves experienced a reaction to something in that fruit. I also felt a bit queasy later on but that might have been my imagination. I won't bother with that fruit again.

My dog loves them! He runs out right under the tree and gobbles them up. He's been doing this for days with no adverse reaction but I'm glad they don't ripen all at once!

Rebecca Scoggins

I had chickens that loved them. They would even jump up and fly into the low branches to pick them off the tree. Never tried them myself but may after reading this.

I have a bunch of Cornus kousas scattered about in my garden and get a lot of volunteers.