![]() They are shrub-like trees that can grow up to 15 to 25 feet (4.5-8 m.) in height if left unpruned. Common name refers to the cherry-like fruits which resemble in color the semi-precious gemstone carnelian (or cornelian). What is a Cornelian Cherry Plant Cornelian cherries ( Cornus mas) are actually members of the dogwood family and native to areas of eastern Europe and western Asia (they even survive in Siberia). This name was applied to this plant because it was seen as the opposite of Cornus sanguinea, known as the female or wild cornel. The specific epithet mas means "masculine" or "male". Cornus is also the Latin name for cornelian cherry. European cornelian cherry (Cornus mas L.), widely known as dogwood, is a flowering medicinal plant that belongs to the Cornaceae family. Genus name comes from the Latin word cornu meaning horn in probable reference to the strength and density of the wood. Cornelian Cherry Dogwood is a multi-stemmed, low-branching, round to oval, deciduous shrub or small tree which typically grows 15 to 25 feet tall. Fruits are average in size, shiny yellow, very tasty, with a distinct pineapple flavour. Fruits may be used for making syrups and preserves. One of the oldiest varieties, known since the 17th century. Fruits are edible, although sour tasting fresh off the plant. The fruit is a grape sized, edible, but sour drupe that matures in a yellow to red by late summer. Fruits are ellipsoid, fleshy, one-seeded berries (drupes to 5/8" long) which mature to cherry red in mid-summer. Approximately 2 wide and 3-5 long with smooth edges, they can turn yellow, orange or red in the fall. Ovate to elliptic dark green leaves (to 4" long) typically develop insignificant fall color. Each umbel is surrounded at the base by small, yellowish, petaloid bracts which are much less showy than the large decorative bracts found on some other species of dogwood such as Cornus florida (flowering dogwood) and Cornus kousa (kousa dogwood). Yellow flowers on short stalks bloom in early spring before the leaves emerge in dense, showy, rounded clusters (umbels to 3/4" wide). Scaly, exfoliating bark develops on mature trunks. It typically grows over time to 15-25' tall with a spread to 12-20' wide. Small, soft yellow flower spritzes bloom on bare stems in late winter, and bright red, shiny, oblong, edible, inch-long fruit cover the tree in late summer through fall. Cornus mas, commonly known as cornelian cherry, is a deciduous shrub or small tree that is native to central and southern Europe into western Asia.
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