THE BEAUTIFUL ILLUSION OF CORNUS KOUSA

Today I will show you how nature likes to deceive us. 😁

I came across this tree during a walk through the botanical garden in Cologne, which many of you already know from my previous posts. It immediately caught my attention from a distance because it looked as if it was covered with white snowflakes or hundreds of white butterflies.

I have visited this garden several times before, but this was the first time I came across this tree during its flowering season. And what a spectacular flowering display it was. The flowers seem to cover almost the entire tree, creating a white carpet. It looks truly impressive!
Well, are they really flowers?
As I started looking for information about this tree and I am talking about CORNUS KOUSA, also known as the Japanese dogwood, it turned out that what people usually mistake for white flowers are actually modified leaves called bracts. 😎 The real flowers are the small green balls in the center. 😁

Would you expect such a trick from nature? Because I certainly wouldn't. 🙂

In autumn, CORNUS KOUSA changes its appearance completely. The white color disappears and is replaced by red fruits that resemble small raspberries about 2 centimeters in size. Surprisingly, these fruits are edible and are said to be very tasty.
Something tells me that I will be visiting this garden again in autumn to find out for myself whether they are really as delicious as people describe them. 😁

CORNUS KOUSA originates from Japan and Korea. It is a plant that is highly resistant to diseases. It also looks very impressive, which is why it is often planted in parks and gardens, where it serves as a beautiful ornamental feature. For this reason, it is highly valued by gardeners.
In some Asian countries, these red fruits are even used to make preserves.

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