Its yellow flowers appear in early spring before the leaves emerge. The cornelian cherry dogwood is a deciduous shrub or small tree that can grow up to 25 feet tall and 20 feet wide. Cornelian cherry dogwood has been cultivated in Asia and Europe since ancient times.Phonetic Spelling KOR-nus mass Description Cornelian cherry dogwood can be limbed up and grown as a small tree or grown as a multi-trunked specimen.įruit is used for preserves and syrup. But not considered highly drought tolerant by any means. Mulching encourages better root growth and moderate drought tolerance. Minimal attention given appropriate cultural conditions. Softwood cuttings can be taken in June and July.Ĭornelian cherry dogwood fruit are favored by birds and other wildlife. Seed require a warm moist stratification for up to 120 followed by 90 to 120 days of cold. Cornelian cherry dogwood can be propagated by seed and softwood cuttings. Cornelian-cherry dogwood responds well to pruning and may be used as a hedge plant or pruned to produce a more upright habit. If left uncontrolled, plants develop into large drooping clumps, ideal for screening. It is variable in form from a large, rounded shrub to a small tree. Use it as a specimen or in a monoculture group planting or shrub border. Cornelian cherry is great in groupings or for screens, hedges, or landscape borders.Ĭornelian cherry dogwood transplants easily and is very tolerant of a wide range of soil types and pH, including damp clay. By July, flowers mature to bright cherry red fruits. It flowers before most other flowering trees and shrubs, bearing bright yellow flower clusters that appear to glow against the rich brown ornamental bark. It has two exceptional characteristics: late winter/early spring flowers and summer foliage and fruit. ‘Variegata’ has variegated leaves with cream-colored leaf margins.Ĭornelian cherry dogwood offers multi-season interest in the garden. ‘Nana’ remains low and compact and has small leaves.

‘Golden Glory’ has a more upright and treelike form than other cultivated varieties and flowers very profusely. ‘Aurea Elegantissima’ (‘Tricolor’) is a smaller, slower-growing plant with yellow variegated leaves. Several cultivated varieties have been developed that offer a range of leaf coloration. Bark is very showy and is often displayed by removing lower foliage. They serve as food for birds or can be used for preserves.ĭark gray to reddish brown, scaly, curling, exfoliating patches. ‘Spring Glow’ is the one cultivar which will flower in the south.ĥ/8-inch-long, ovoid, bright cherry red fruit ripen in June and July. Flowers are produced in northern areas but most of the south lacks the chilling hours required to set flower buds. The flowers are similar to Forsythia and are followed by red fruit which is edible and partially hidden by the foliage. Flowers are borne in tiny clusters close to the naked stems. Small yellow flowers pack the dense network of branches in mid to late March, before the leaves emerge and often remain long into spring. The lustrous dark green leaves develop a deep plum red fall color. Leaves are opposite, simple, ovate, entire, 2 to 4 inches long and 2 ½ inches wide. The habit is oval-rounded to rounded with a dense network of fine branches.

Trees are upright in youth but spread to a broad arching form with age. It is found in dry deciduous forests and brushlands.Ĭornelian cherry dogwood is a slow-growing, deciduous, small tree or large shrub with a height of 15 to 25 feet and spread of 12 to 18 feet. The common name of this species refers to the cherry-like fruit that ripen over the summer to bright red and are sometimes eaten as preserves.Ĭornelian cherry dogwood is native to central and southern Europe and western Asia.

Cornus is from the word cornu which means “horn” and refers to the hard wood.

Images of cornus mas bark