Cornus mas
Object Details
- Description
- The cornelian cherry is a member of the dogwood family. Unlike other dogwoods, it has showy yellow flowers, with almost unnoticeable bracts at their base. This is in direct contrast to the large, white bracts on many other dogwoods, and the near unnoticeable flowers they surround.
- The cornelian cherry also has strong and very dense wood, which is likely where the plant’s genus name comes from - cornu being Latin for horn. The cornelian aspect of its common name refers to the resemblance of this plant’s fruit to the carnelian gemstone.
- Hardiness
- -30 - 20 F
- Attracts
- Birds
- Bloom Time
- March
- Provenance
- Uncertain
- Range
- Europe to Caucasus
- Habitat
- Mixed deciduous broad-leaved forest, 0-1500 meters
- Topic
- Trees
- Living Collections
- See more items in
- Smithsonian Gardens Tree Collection
- On Display
- National Museum of American History
- Data Source
- Smithsonian Gardens
- Accession Number
- 2011-0855A
- Restrictions & Rights
- Usage conditions apply
- Common Name
- Cornelian Cherry Dogwood
- Sorbet
- Edible Dogwood
- Group
- [vascular plants]
- Class
- Equisetopsida
- Subclass
- Magnoliidae
- Superorder
- Asteranae
- Order
- Cornales
- Family
- Cornaceae
- Genus
- Cornus
- Species
- mas
- Life Form
- Deciduous tree
- Average Height
- 15-25'
- Bark Characteristics
- Exfoliating, gray and tan bark on mature trees.
- Bloom Characteristics
- Small, in rounded clusters on short stalks before leaves emerge. .75" wide. Surrounded by small, yellowish bracts which are less noticable than on other Cornus.
- Fall Color
- Green, yellow, some purple and red. Fall color not very good.
- Foliage Characteristics
- Simple, opposite, glossy, dark green leaves. 2-4" long.
- Fruit Characteristics
- Olive shaped, red fruits develop in mid-summer. Edible when dark red or maroon. .5-1" long.
- Structure
- Round, spreading
- Metadata Usage
- Not determined
- Record ID
- ofeo-sg_2011-0855A
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