Common Name:

General Information

Cornus wilsoniana is a deciduous tree that usually grows from 5 - 18 metres tall, exceptionally reaching up to 40 metres[, ].
An oil obtained from the fruit and seed is a high-quality biodiesel product, and its use as a renewable biofuel crop has been intensively investigated in China. Active breeding programmes to increase yields have been carried out and the tree is now being cultivated as a biofuel crop[].

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

, ,

Range

E. Asia - central and southern China

Habitat

Forests; at elevations from 100 - 1,100 metres[].

Properties

Other Uses Rating
Habit	Deciduous Tree
Height	10.00 m
Pollinators	Insects
Cultivation Status	Cultivated, Ornamental, Wild

Cultivation Details

Cornus wilsoniana is a somewhat cold-hardy tree, tolerating temperatures down to around -15°c when dormant.
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. Succeeds in full sun or light shade[[].
The tree has a high potential as a biofuel crop and active breeding programs have been carried out in China in
order to increase fruit yield. The current yield is about 3,000 kg dry fruit per hectare, however 15 cultivars have been selected that are able to produce up to 5,000 kg dry fruit per hectare[].
Selected cultivars had been planted more than 55,000 hectares as of 2010, with a targeted production area of 2 million hectares by 2020[].
The attractively shaped crown and the mottled bark make Cornus wilsoniana a good candidate for a street tree[, ].
Plants in this genus are notably resistant to honey fungus[].
This species is very closely related to Cornus walteri[].

Edible Uses

The purplish black or black, globose fruit is 6 - 7mm in diameter; the flesh enclosing a single seed around 4mm in diameter[].

Medicinal

None known

Other Uses

The fruit contains up to 30% oil[]. The sarcocarp contains 55 - 59% oil, the seed contains 10 - 17% oil, and the fruit as a whole contains up to 36% oil based on dry weight. The main constituents of the oil are linoleic acid (48.5%), oleic acid (30.5%), and palmitic acid (16.53%). It has a cetane number of 49.9 and an iodine value of 104.5, which is comparable to the seed oil of Jatropha curcas L.[].

The dense, heavy, hard wood is used for making farm tools and furniture[, ].

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[].