Fall Berries

I'm kind of obssessed with the berries on my kousa dogwood (Cornus kousa) tree. The other day I was looking out my kitchen window and was astonished to see just how many berries there are and that almost all have turned red.  It really flowered profusely this spring, so I shouldn't be surprised at the berries. And it's like it happened overnight--well, not really, but it does seem like they turned red quickly. I looked up the fruit online and apparently the berries are edible--they make delicious wine and jam!  Who knew. The fruit is supposedly sweet and creamy, and the redder the berry and the more berries on the tree,  the sweeter the fruit.  Hmm, I guess I am going to have to try a few of those berries.

There are tons of berries on the back of the tree, too, that haven't turned red yet. Really, it's incredible how many berries there are. I have noticed that my kousa blooms well every other year. I can find no explanation for this, but it is like clockwork.  I am going to have to watch to see what happens next year.

And as evidence for this, here is a page from my garden journal for last summer--2012--No kousa flowers!

I also like the fruit on my Japanese snowbell tree (Styrax japonica). Not quite as showy, but still pretty. I love the creamy green color.

And here are two pictures of these trees from May, when they were in their blooming glory. You can see the immature berries in the flowers. These are both beautiful trees.

Kousa dogwood

Snowbell tree