Cornelian Cherry
Thornton, Colorado area landscapes {Monthly Series}
Cornelian Cherry or Cornus mas, is a species of small tree in
the dogwood family native to Western Europe, Southern Europe, and Southwestern Asia. Small clusters of yellow flowers appear in early spring prior to the glossy, dark green, oval shaped leaves. Dense, upright branches create a rounded large shrub or small tree. Reddish-purple fall color comes after a profusion of bright red cherry like fruit in late summer. The fruit is edible and is widely popular in Iran. When unripe it is an astringent, but when ripe is similar to a sour cherry or cranberry. It can be used for making jam, pickles, or added to rice. It is used in eastern Europe to make an alcoholic beverage called cornată or to make vodka or Kompot. The wood is extremely dense and has been used to make spears and wooden tool handles as far back as the 7th century BCE.
Its size ranges from about 15’-25’ high and 10-15’ wide. It handles moderate water but likes well drained soils, full sun to part shade, and is a good fit for some smaller yards in our Thornton Colorado landscapes due to its size. It is an underappreciated plant with so many practical and not so practical uses….need a spear? The wood is so dense it sinks in water. It was used hundreds of years ago to make the gears in clocks. Need to make a clock? Anyway, the digression continues….how about grinding up the pits of the fruit to make a beverage similar to coffee? Plant a few and see what you can do with it. Either way, it’s pretty. We’ll be planting more.
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