The Kousa dogwood trees are often planted as ornamental; however, their brightly colored, highly abundant fruits are edible. They taste like a guava smoothie, with a soft and somewhat stringy texture. They are ready to harvest when the bright red fruits first begin to dot the ground beneath the tree. Pick fruits that are soft, dark red and can easily be pulled away from the stem. Then squeeze the pulp into your mouth, and spit out the seeds. You can also make the berries into a tasty jam.