Shrub
Cornelian cherry
Cornus mas
A large deciduous shrub that can be trained as a small tree. Yellow flowers appear before the leaves and may be followed by red fruit. It needs room for its spreading crown in sun or partial shade.
- Size
- 4.5–8 m high · 4.5–6.5 m wideVaries by cultivar
- Light
- Full sun / Partial shade
- Water
- Moderate
- Winter
- Very hardy
- Seasonal form
- Deciduous
- Maintenance
- Low
Before planting
- Plan for a large shrub or the crown of a small tree, rather than the size of the plant at purchase.
- Choose sun or partial shade and well-drained soil that retains moderate moisture.
- For fruit production, check the chosen cultivar's characteristics and pollination requirements.
Why choose it
- Yellow flowers appear very early, before the leaves unfold.
- The ripe flesh of the red fruit can be used in cooking; each fruit contains a hard stone.
Care
- Water during establishment and prolonged drought.
- Prune as needed after flowering. If growing for fruit, limit the removal of branches that would bear the crop.
Good to know
- Do not use the hard pruning routine applied to Cornus alba grown for colourful stems.