Tough

Contrary to what its name suggests, the cornelian cherry is not a sweet variety. or sour cherries, but is classified as a dogwood species. The name says it all, because the wood of the cornelian cherry is one of the hardest in Europe: it is so heavy that it sinks in the water!

The large shrub is often multi-stemmed and becomes tree-like with age. The plant grows up to seven meters high, but grows quite slowly at around 30 cm per year. Its bark is light, slightly corky and fibrous.

Versatile in use

The cornelian cherry is not only very popular with us because of its strong flowers in spherical umbels and the edible fruits, but it can be planted and used in many different ways: The shrub is suitable for hedges as a beautiful privacy screen because it tolerates severe pruning very well. But the cornelian cherry also looks great as a single shrub or even as a tree.

Its leaves are egg-shaped, pointed and often wavy on the sides. They shine in a rich green and turn a strong yellow-orange in autumn.

Even if the approximately 2 cm long fruits are not cherries, they are edible and contain a lot of vitamin C. The ripeness is reached from August when the fruits are dark red and soft. First of all, they have a sour taste that is perfect for jelly or liqueur. As the ripening process continues, which lasts until October, the aroma changes and becomes intensely sweet and cherry-like. By the way: The cornelian cherry bears fruit even without pruning!

Tolerant in terms of soil and location

As far as the soil and location are concerned, the cornelian cherry is a frugal plant. It is very soil-tolerant, grows optimally in slightly alkaline soils, but can also tolerate sandy to lime-rich soil. It is best to choose a sunny to partially shaded location.