Scientific Name:
Cornus mas
Pronunciation:
KORE-nus MASS
Common Name:
Cornelian dogwood, Cornelian cherry
Family Name:
Cornaceae
Plant Type:
Shrub - deciduous, Tree - deciduous
Key ID Features:
Tree small, round, deciduous tree, multi-stemmed; leaves opposite, ovate, most blades 4-6cm long x 2-4cm wide, glossy, dark green, typical dogwood look with heavy parallel main veins; flowers 5-9mm wide, yellow, in clusters of 10-25 in early spring before the leaves; fruit dark red, ellipsoid. Winter ID: bark dark brown, exfoliating; flower buds round, numerous.
Habit:
Spreading, Upright
Form:
Round
Texture:
Medium
Mature Height:
3 - 5m
Mature Spread:
3 - 4m
Growth Rate:
Moderate
Origin:
Central / west Asia, Europe
Hardiness Rating:
Zone 5: (-29 to -23 °C)
Exposure:
Full sun, Part sun/part shade
Soil/Growing Medium:
Well-drained
Water Use:
Moderate
Landscape Uses:
Attract birds, Mixed shrub border, Screening, Specimen plant, Spring interest, Wildlife food, Woodland margin
Additional Info:
Leaf Morphology:
Form:
Simple
Arrangement:
Opposite
Texture/Venation:
Heavily veined, Pinnate venation
Surfaces:
Lustrous
Colour in Fall:
Yellow, Red
Shapes:
Ovate
Apices:
Acute
Bases:
Cuneate
Margins:
Entire
Additional Info:
Spectacular fall colour, 4-10 x 2-4cm; margins may curl upwards
Inflorescence Type:
Flowers clustered, Floriferous, Corymb-like
Flower Morphology:
Flowers perfect
Number Of Petals:
4
Corolla Shape:
Cruciform
Ovary Position:
Inferior
Colour (petals):
Showy, Yellow
Flower Scent:
None
Flower Time at Peak:
Feb, Mar
Additional Info:
10 - 25 per culster; occur on bare stems before forsythia flowers
Fruit Type:
Drupe
Fruit Colour:
Red
Fruiting Time:
Jul, Aug
Additional Info:
Showy, Up to 2 x 1.5cm, edible when dark red (used and jams and sauces with orange and sugar)
Bark Morphology:
Showy, Exfoliating
Bark or Stem Colour:
Red, Tan, Brown, Dark brown
Leaf Bud Type:
Valvate
Leaf Scar Shape:
V-shaped
Propagation:
Seed, Greenwood cuttings, Softwood cuttings
Maintenance:
Low
Pest Susceptibility:
Anthracnose, Nematodes, Root rot, Scale insects, Stem borer insects, Thrips (Deer resistant, Drought tolerant)
Course(s):
- CLT Training
- HORT 2355
Location(s):
- (PPL) Pine PLanting
- (TFL) Turf Field Lab
- (TFLS) Turf Field Lab South
- (TFLW) Turf Field Lab West