Common Name:

General Information

Cornus walteri is a deciduous tree that develops an open, spreading habit; it can grow from 6 - 15 metres tall and is often as wide as it is tall[, ].
The tree is harvested from the wild for local use as a medicine and source of materials. It is sometimes grown as an ornamental.

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

,

Range

E. Asia - central and western China, Korea.

Habitat

Mixed sparse to dense forests; at elevations from 300 - 2,500, occasionally to 3,000 metres[].

Properties

Medicinal Rating
Other Uses Rating
Habit	Deciduous Tree
Height	10.00 m
Growth Rate	Medium
Pollinators	Insects
Cultivation Status	Ornamental, Wild

Cultivation Details

Cornus walteri is a moderately cold-hardy plant, tolerating temperatures down to around -20°c when dormant.
Succeeds in full sun or light shade[[]. An easily grown plant, it succeeds in any soil of good or moderate fertility[], ranging from acid to shallow chalk[]. Grows well in heavy clay soils. Established plants are drought tolerant[].
A moderately fast-growing tree[].
The tree is often used as a street tree in China, valued in part for its attractive bark[, ].
Plants in this genus are notably resistant to honey fungus[].
This species is closely related to Cornus wilsoniana[].

Edible Uses

The black, globose fruit is 6 - 8m in diameter; the flesh enclosing a single seed around 4 - 5mm in diameter[]. We have seen no reports of the fruit being edible.

Medicinal

The fruits and leaves have been used for the treatment of skin inflammation or boils caused by lacquer poison (caused by Toxicodendron species[]

The leaves are antihyperglycaemic, antiinflammatory, anti-obesity, antioxidant and astringent and have been used to treat diarrhoea and skin problems. Research has shown that they can be an effective treatment to combat aging of the skin (wrinkles, loss of elasticity etc) caused by UV radiation[].

The leaves contain several phenolic compounds including gallic acid, (+)-gallocatechin, (+)-catechin, quercetin, quercitrin, rutin, isoquercitrin, and hyperoside. These compounds have been shown to scavenge free radicals. It has also been shown that flavonoids such as catechin and quercetin are antiinflammatory and have the potential to protect the skin from the effects of UV radiation[].

Other Uses

The fruit is a source of oil[].

The wood is very hard and heavy. It is used for making tools such as mallets[, ].

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 about 3 days warm stratification at 15°c 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[].