If the tree is doing well, it will likely cover over the wound within a year.

For future reference #1: No paint; no seal; no tape; no nothing, except the tree's own devices.

For future reference #2: Clear a 20-inch zone around the base of the tree, add a coarse mulch on the soil surface and, then, remove any weeds that attempt to grow in the "clean zone."

Agree with jean. This wound should callous over, as long as you didn't kill the tree with your mad scientist mixture.

hate to tell you this but if the tree is planted in full sun (seems to be) that's a poor location for an understory tree..

Thanks for all the replies. Should I remove the tape now (the paint is on it still). The "mad scientist mixture" seemed to make sense at the time but what do I know. This is my first tree ever planted!!! Yes, this tree is planted in full sun. We have no shade in our backyard. Plus, I think on the tag from Lowes / HD, it says said full sun.

Your tree looks beautiful nicholsworth55. Ran out and took the tape off. Too dark out now but will remove the "magic potion" tomorrow. :) I am in S. Jersey so very hot and humid and didn't rain most of the summer. But I made sure to water it every day. Also, found the tag and it did say "partial sun" but I did not notice it :( But we have NO trees in our backyard. how can I keep this tree from dying?

A kousa in full sun will do ok. It's just like Cornus florida. They will develop a denser branching structure than if they were grown as an understory tree. It might have leaf burn in dry conditions but it certainly wont die if cared for properly.

I looked at a few links..they said full sun to part shade but then said they don't tolerate drought or heat (which would be worse in full sun)..I took some gardening classes last spring..they said dogwoods do best in shade..confusing isn't it?..I'm pleased with the 3 from last year so I just bought 2 more this year..all will be in shade since I don't have full sun..not a tree but I would get some paniculata hydrangeas (Quick Fire, Limelight, Pinky Winky etc)..I've seen gorgeous ones in full sun..

Phew! Thank you!!! My son (9yrs old) noticed your your name and asked if you are smart because you like pi! He is a member of mensa.

I guess I'll just have to wait until the Spring to see how this tree does. Unfortunately, I have no shade but love this tree. Will just keep watering and watering. Thank you so much everyone. Love this forum!!

would be hard work but you could move it to the north or east side of your house..what side of the house is it planted now?

I'm really not sure. However, it is the sunniest side of the house and stays sunny pretty much all day.

I'm afraid it might REALLY die if I try to move it. Better left there and watered a lot.

I grow kousa in full blazing sun in TN and they do fine. Once well established they'll tolerate drought as well as C. florida.

A wound that size should heal in one growing season.

I also planted a Japanese Maple on the same side as this. Full sun obviously. I hope that doesn't die in the full sun. Sucks when you have no shade in your backyard.

Awesome thank you kentrees12!!! You've given me hope!!!

Ditto what Kentrees said. Fun sun is just fine. There's a research plot here with just over a hundred Cornus kousas (many different cultivars) growing in full sun, on rocky soil, and on a slope. I don't know what care they received when first planted (likely not much), but they get zero supplemental watering now and do fine.

that's such great news!!! Do you think my newly planted Japanese Maple will be okay on the same side as the Kousa?

A tree by itself gets lonely. It is time to go to a nursery and see what's on sale. Buy a couple more trees. If the kousa doesn't live....you'll have others to look at and worry about. "Ken adrian' always says more plants are killed by kindness than any other cause.

Seriously, the sales are good and autumn is a good time to plant. In your area a tree will keep growing (underground) at least two months or longer. You might want to try an oak for shading your house and other trees. In fact, start planting with conservation in mind: energy conservation and wildlife conservation. Have fun; don't worry too much. And, congratulations on your first tree. Your excitement is contagious.

Kousa Dogwood and Japanese Maple easily take full sun.

When it comes to DIY things on the Internet if you don't find least 5 people doing it then it's not worth it.

Another grower of Kousa in many hours of full sun here. It is fine, though it didn't like temperatures below -20F.

I want to emphasize the advice given you by Jean up at the top of the thread to remove all grass under the tree (I always do it to outside the drip line on a young tree) and give it a good layer of shredded mulch, though don't let any touch the trunk. It will help keep soil temperature and moisture even and reduce competition from grass and weeds. It will also save your tree from other mistakes related to the strimmer.

Here in Indianapolis, I planted 3 Kousa about 40 years ago. Two never thrived and I removed them several years ago. The third has been a beautiful horizontal-branching tree receiving maybe 2 hours of sun. A few seedlings have come up from time to time and I've had limited success in moving them. The most successful seedling was moved to a very shady part of the yard (7-8 years ago?) that occasionally floods briefly. It was at the north drip line of an old sugar maple. It died back after a drought a few years ago. It came back, but had never been more than 18" tall. Four years ago, the sugar maple was removed and that Kousa now gets sun much of the day and began to grow. This year, it grew nearly 3'!!!! (It was an unbelievably wet summer!) Like so many of our trees and shrubs this year, the foliage doesn't look great (brown spots and brown edges) and it hasn't started to show any color yet (other than the brown), but it looks very healthy otherwise. The parent usually has great fall color, but that parent and everything else is late this fall. Sometimes, more sun seems to be good for a Kousa!

So great to hear that so many of you have kousa's in he sun and they are doing well. My kousa still has buds on it so I assume it is still alive after being weed wacked and with the magic potion. Hopefully it will survive the winter and thrive next year. Thanks for all the great advise everyone.

Most of my Kousas were originally planted in full sun, but now other trees have grown up and most get some shade during the day. All doing fine with no supplemental water.

Here's one in a pot showing Fall color.