# Fruit from dogwood tree



## simplesimon (Aug 25, 2021)

Sorry if this is a dumb question but are berries from dogwood trees okay to leave or should they all be picked up? If picked up, is there a tool that makes this easy?


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## Factor (Oct 10, 2019)

Well looks like I was wrong there is a fruiting dogwood.

https://www.tyrantfarms.com/introducing-kousa-dogwood-cornus-kousa-the-edible-dogwood/

Looks to be not poisonous. So you are good to pick them up


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## thin_concrete (Sep 11, 2020)

I have the same kousa dogwood in my front yard and I leave the berries on the ground. I've never had any problems with ants or anything else, even before I started using Talstar (bifenthrin) this summer.

I tried them once when a Dept of Conservation guy came by to look at some trees years ago and asked if he could pick them and I don't like the way they taste. Since then, I've started using synthetic fertilizers, herbicides, and fungicides (some that specifically say not to use where you're growing food for consumption) and won't eat them. I'm starting to research more organic lawn maintenance, so maybe some time in the future.


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## simplesimon (Aug 25, 2021)

I was more asking along the lines of will leaving them on the ground be detrimental to the lawn/mulch? I don't plan on eating them. Sounds like they'll decompose and be fine?


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## thin_concrete (Sep 11, 2020)

simplesimon said:


> I was more asking along the lines of will leaving them on the ground be detrimental to the lawn/mulch? I don't plan on eating them. Sounds like they'll decompose and be fine?


Yep. I have always left mine on the ground and there's never been an issue. The grass under my tree has been perfectly fine, including after my overseed last year. The grass is also looking good there after this year's overseed.


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## NJ-lawn (Jun 25, 2018)

My neighbor has the same tree and tons of the fruit would fall on the ground. You end up stepping on it while mowing and it was so dense it would smother the grass. He had a concrete driveway and the fruit would stain the concrete.

He ended up removing it, a shame because it was a beautiful tree but it would leave a mess behind. My lawn looks 100% better over there now.


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## FrancoD13 (Sep 29, 2021)

I have the same tree in my yard. No impact to the lawn, really messes up the patio though as they get smooshed. The smooshed ones attract lots of bees. I generally just use a leaf blower and put them into a pile and shovel into the woods. A hose does quick work of the remains.


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