Common Name: Cornelian Cherry

General Information

Cornus mas is a deciduous shrub or a small tree that branches profusely from the lower trunk; it usually grows up to 5 metres tall, occasionally reaching 13 metres. The short bole is usually up to 25cm in diameter, occasionally to 45cm[, , ].
The plant has a long history of cultivation for its edible fruit, though it has usually remained a minor fruit. It has a wide range of other used as a food, medicine and source of materials, and is also often grown as an ornamental in gardens, where it can be used to form a hedge.

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

,

Range

Central and southern Europe - Germany, Belgium and France eastwards to Ukraine and Bulgaria; W. Asia - Caucasus, Turkey, Syria

Habitat

Woodlands, especially in calcareous soils[, ]. Undergrowth in light, mainly oak and hornbeam forests, also at forest edges and in shrubby thickets on slopes[].

Properties

Edibility Rating
Medicinal Rating
Other Uses Rating
Habit	Deciduous Shrub
Height	5.00 m
Growth Rate	Medium
Pollinators	Bees
Cultivation Status	Cultivated, Ornamental, Wild

Cultivation Details

Cornus mas is a very hardy plant, tolerating temperatures down to about -25°c when dormant[].
An easily grown plant, it succeeds in any well-drained soil of good or moderate fertility[, ], ranging from acid to shallow chalk[]. Grows well in heavy clay soils. Prefers a moist soil rich in organic matter[, ] and a sunny position[] but also succeeds in light shade[]. Plants are fairly wind resistant[]. Plants grow and crop well in pots.
At one time the cornelian cherry was frequently cultivated for its edible fruit, though it has fallen into virtual disuse as a fruit crop in most areas[]. It is still being cultivated in parts of central Europe and there are some named varieties[]:-
'Macrocarpa' has larger fruits (up to 30mm long) than the type[, ].
'Nana' is a dwarf form, derived from a yellow-fruited clone[].
'Variegata', with variegated leaves, has been seen on a number of occasions with very large crops of fruit, even in years when the type species has not fruited well[].
'Jolico' has well-flavoured fruits 3 times larger than the species.
There are also a number of cultivars with yellow, white and purplish fruit.
Seedlings can take up to 20 years to come into fruit. Plants produced from cuttings come into fruit when much younger, though they do not live as long as the seedlings.
A very ornamental plant[] it flowers quite early in the year and is a valuable early food for bees[, ].
Plants in this genus are notably resistant to honey fungus[].

Edible Uses

Fruit - raw, dried or used in preserves[, , , , , ]. Juicy, with a nice acid flavour[]. The fully ripe fruit has a somewhat plum-like flavour and texture and is very nice eating, but the unripe fruit is rather astringent[]. It is rather low in pectin and so needs to be used with other fruit when making jam[]. The fruit makes superb jams, stewed
319 fruits, jellies, marmelades, beverages and wines[]. The dried fruits are used for flavouring; they contain 8 - 9% sugars, and 2 - 3.5% free acid, mainly malic acid[]. At one time the fruit was kept in brine and used like olives[]. The ellipsoid fruit matures from green to yellow, then red; it is 10 - 15mm long and 5 - 7mm wide with a moderate amound of flesh enclosing a single, large seed[]

A small amount of edible oil can be extracted from the seeds[].

Seeds are roasted, ground into a powder and used as a coffee substitute[, ].

The leaves can be used as a tea substitute[].

Medicinal

The bark and the fruit are astringent, febrifuge and nutritive[]. The astringent fruit is a good treatment for bowel complaints and fevers, whilst it is also used in the treatment of cholera[, ]. The fruits are especially valuable as a remedy for scurvy and diarrhoea[].

The flowers are used in the treatment of diarrhoea[].

Agroforestry Uses:

The plant responds well to trimming and is very suitable for growing as a hedge[, , ].

Other Uses

An oil is obtained from the seed[].

The bark, branches and leaves contain tannins and yield red dyes as well as a yellow dye for fabrics[]..
The wood, bark and leaves contain a high quality tannin suitable for tanning yellow even thick hides[, ].

The thin trunks make excellent walking sticks and canes[]..

The wood is of a fine texture, very hard, very heavy, durable, very solid, resilient, difficult to split and readily polished. It is heavier than water and does not float[]. Highly valued by turners, it is used for making tools, machine parts, etc. It can be used to replace box-wood (Buxus species) as material for handles, such as heavy blacksmith sledge hammers, cogs in millers' wheels, buttons, or shuttles.[, , , , ].

Propagation

Seed - best sown as soon as it is ripe in a cold frame or in an outdoors seedbed if there is sufficient seed[, ]. The seed must be separated from the fruit flesh since this contains germination inhibitors[, ]. Stored seed should be cold stratified for 3 - 4 months and sown as early as possible in the year[]. Scarification may also help as may a period of warm stratification before the cold stratification[, ]. Germination, especially of stored seed, can be very slow, taking 18 months or more[]. Prick out the seedlings of cold-frame sown seeds into individual pots as soon as they are large enough to handle and grow the plants on for their first winter in a greenhouse, planting out in the spring after the last expected frosts.
Cuttings of half-ripe side shoots, mid summer in a frame[].
Cuttings of mature wood of the current year's growth, taken with a heel if possible, autumn in a cold frame. High percentage[].
Layering of new growth in early summer/July. Takes 9 months[].