We need help! In recent months our income dropped considerably and we need more donations from our users to avoid getting into financial difficulty. More >>>

Follow Us:

 

Cornus sanguinea - L.

Common Name Dogwood, Bloodtwig dogwood
Family Cornaceae
USDA hardiness 4-8
Known Hazards Contrary to some reports, the fruit is not poisonous, but the leaves can cause skin irritations to sensitive people[65].
Habitats Mixed woods, scrub and hedgerows, especially on calcareous soils[7, 13, 186].
Range Europe, including Britain, from Scandanavia to Spain, east to Sicily and Greece. Rare in S.W. Asia..
Edibility Rating    (2 of 5)
Other Uses    (3 of 5)
Weed Potential No
Medicinal Rating    (1 of 5)
Care (info)
Fully Hardy Moist Soil Semi-shade Full sun
Cornus sanguinea Dogwood, Bloodtwig dogwood


http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Cornus_sanguinea_Sturm39.jpg
Cornus sanguinea Dogwood, Bloodtwig dogwood
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/User:Poulos

 

Translate this page:

Summary


Physical Characteristics

 icon of manicon of shrub
Cornus sanguinea is a deciduous Shrub growing to 3 m (9ft 10in).
See above for USDA hardiness. It is hardy to UK zone 5 and is not frost tender. It is in flower from June to July, and the seeds ripen in September. The species is hermaphrodite (has both male and female organs) and is pollinated by Insects.
Suitable for: light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils and can grow in heavy clay soil. Suitable pH: mildly acid, neutral and basic (mildly alkaline) soils and can grow in very alkaline soils.
It can grow in semi-shade (light woodland) or no shade. It prefers moist soil.

UK Hardiness Map US Hardiness Map

Synonyms

Swida sanguinea. Thelycrania sanguinea.

Plant Habitats

Woodland Garden Sunny Edge; Dappled Shade; Shady Edge; Hedge;

Edible Uses

Edible Parts: Fruit  Oil  Oil
Edible Uses: Oil  Oil

Fruit - raw or cooked[105]. A bitter flavour, it can also have an emetic effect on the body[1, 7, 11]. It is not worthwhile[115]. The fruit is about 8mm in diameter[200]. An oil is obtained from the seed[2], it is edible when refined[75].

References   More on Edible Uses

Medicinal Uses

Plants For A Future can not take any responsibility for any adverse effects from the use of plants. Always seek advice from a professional before using a plant medicinally.
Astringent  Emetic  Febrifuge

The bark is astringent and febrifuge[7]. It is used to treat fevers[254]. The leaves are sometimes used externally as an astringent[7]. The fruit is emetic[7].

References   More on Medicinal Uses

The Bookshop: Edible Plant Books

Our Latest books on Perennial Plants For Food Forests and Permaculture Gardens in paperback or digital formats.

Food Forest Plants for Hotter Conditions: 250+ Plants For Tropical Food Forests & Permaculture Gardens.
Edible Tropical Plants

Food Forest Plants for Hotter Conditions: 250+ Plants For Tropical Food Forests & Permaculture Gardens.

More
Plants for Your Food Forest: 500 Plants for Temperate Food Forests & Permaculture Gardens.
Edible Temperate Plants

Plants for Your Food Forest: 500 Plants for Temperate Food Forests & Permaculture Gardens.

More
PFAF have eight books available in paperback and digital media.
More Books

PFAF have eight books available in paperback and digital formats. Browse the shop for more information.

Shop Now

Other Uses

Basketry  Charcoal  Dye  Fuel  Hedge  Hedge  Oil  Oil  Wood

The seed contains 45% of a non-drying oil[74], it is used in soap making and lighting[7, 13, 100, 115, 177]. A non-drying oil is also obtained from the pericarp, it is used for lighting[74]. The pericarp contains 19 - 35% oil[74]. A greenish-blue dye is obtained from the fruit[13, 74]. The young stems are very flexible and are used in basketry[7, 13, 74, 100]. Wood - tough, hard. Used for small items such as tool handles, turnery etc[11, 61, 115]. A good quality charcoal is obtained from the wood[115], the wood also makes an excellent fuel[115].

Special Uses

Hedge  Hedge  Scented Plants

References   More on Other Uses

Cultivation details

An easily grown plant, it succeeds in any soil of good or moderate fertility[1], ranging from acid to shallow chalk[200]. Grows well in heavy clay soils. Plants are relatively shade tolerant, though they are not happy when growing in dense shade[186]. They grow badly when exposed to strong cold winds[186]. Plants are hardy to about -25°c[184]. The flowers have a rather unpleasant smell to most people, though they are attractive to insects[186]. Plants have a suckering habit and can quickly form dense thickets[186]. They can be coppiced regularly and will throw up long straight stems after being cut back[186]. Plants in this genus are notably resistant to honey fungus[200].

References   Carbon Farming Information and Carbon Sequestration Information

Temperature Converter

Type a value in the Celsius field to convert the value to Fahrenheit:

Fahrenheit:

image

The PFAF Bookshop

Plants For A Future have a number of books available in paperback and digital form. Book titles include Edible Plants, Edible Perennials, Edible Trees,Edible Shrubs, Woodland Gardening, and Temperate Food Forest Plants. Our new book is Food Forest Plants For Hotter Conditions (Tropical and Sub-Tropical).

Shop Now

Plant Propagation

Seed - best sown as soon as it is ripe in a cold frame or in an outdoors seedbed if there is sufficient seed[80, 113]. The seed must be separated from the fruit flesh since this contains germination inhibitors[80, 164]. Stored seed should be cold stratified for 3 - 4 months and sown as early as possible in the year[164]. Scarification may also help as may a period of warm stratification before the cold stratification[80, 164]. Germination, especially of stored seed, can be very slow, taking 18 months or more[164]. Prick out the seedlings of cold-frame sown seeds into individual pots as soon as they are large enough to handle and grow the plants on for their first winter in a greenhouse, planting out in the spring after the last expected frosts. Cuttings of half-ripe side shoots, July/August in a frame. Cuttings of mature wood of the current year's growth, taken with a heel if possible, autumn in a cold frame. High percentage[78]. Layering of new growth in June/July. Takes 9 months[78].

Other Names

If available other names are mentioned here

Native Range

TEMPERATE ASIA: Iran, Iraq, Lebanon, Syria, Turkey, Russian Federation-Ciscaucasia (Ciscaucasia), Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Russian Federation (Dagestan) EUROPE: Denmark, United Kingdom, Ireland, Norway, Sweden, Czechoslovakia, Austria, Belgium, Switzerland, Germany, Hungary, Netherlands, Poland, Russian Federation (European part), Belarus, Estonia, Lithuania, Latvia, Moldova, Ukraine (incl. Krym), Former Yugoslavia, Albania, Bulgaria, Greece, Italy (incl. Sardinia, Sicily), Romania, Spain, France (incl. Corsica), Portugal

Weed Potential

Right plant wrong place. We are currently updating this section. Please note that a plant may be invasive in one area but may not in your area so it’s worth checking.

Conservation Status

IUCN Red List of Threatened Plants Status :

Related Plants
Latin NameCommon NameHabitHeightHardinessGrowthSoilShadeMoistureEdibleMedicinalOther
Cornus albaTartarian DogwoodShrub3.0 3-7 FLMHSNMwe001
Cornus alternifoliaGreen Osier, Alternateleaf dogwood, Alternate Leaf Dogwood, Golden Shadows Pagoda Dogwood, Green OsiShrub6.0 3-8 FLMHNDM022
Cornus amomumSilky DogwoodShrub3.0 4-8 MLMHSNM121
Cornus asperifolia drummondiiRoughleaf DogwoodShrub4.0 5-9 FLMHNM003
Cornus australis Shrub4.0 6-9  LMHSNM103
Cornus canadensisCreeping Dogwood, Bunchberry dogwood, BunchberryPerennial0.3 2-7 FLMHSNM422
Cornus capitataBentham's CornelTree12.0 7-10 MLMHSNM413
Cornus chinensis Tree10.0 7-10  LMHSNM23 
Cornus controversaGiant Dogwood, Wedding Cake Tree,Tree15.0 5-8 FLMHSNM212
Cornus coreana Tree20.0 5-9  LMHSNM002
Cornus elliptica Tree10.0 7-10 MLMHSNM412
Cornus floridaFlowering DogwoodShrub6.0 5-9 MLMHSNM223
Cornus hemsleyi Shrub4.0 -  LMHSNM002
Cornus hongkongensis Shrub15.0 -  LMHSNM102
Cornus iberica Shrub4.0 -  LMHSNM203
Cornus kousaJapanese Dogwood, Kousa dogwood, Chinese Dogwood,Tree10.0 5-8 SLMHSNM502
Cornus kousa chinensisJapanese DogwoodTree10.0 5-8  LMHSNM502
Cornus macrophyllaLarge-Leaf DogwoodTree15.0 5-9  LMHSNM222
Cornus masCornelian Cherry, Cornelian Cherry DogwoodShrub5.0 4-8 MLMHSNM423
Cornus monbeigii Shrub5.0 6-9  LMHSNM122
Cornus multinervosa Tree8.0 -  LMHSNM202
Cornus nuttalliiMountain Dogwood, Pacific dogwood, Western DogwoodTree10.0 6-8 MLMHSNDM123
Cornus oblongaOblong-Petal DogwoodTree6.0 8-11  LMHSNM032
Cornus occidentalisWestern DogwoodShrub6.0 5-9  LMHSNM11 
Cornus officinalisShan Zhu Yu, Asiatic dogwood, Japanese Cornel DogwoodShrub10.0 5-8 MLMHSNM430
Cornus poliophylla Shrub4.0 6-9  LMHSNM122
Cornus quinquenervis Shrub3.0 4-8  LMHSNM20 
Cornus rugosaRound-Leaved DogwoodShrub3.0 4-8  LMHSNDM01 
Cornus sericeaRed Osier Dogwood, Western dogwoodShrub2.5 2-7 FLMHSNMWe224
12

Growth: S = slow M = medium F = fast. Soil: L = light (sandy) M = medium H = heavy (clay). pH: A = acid N = neutral B = basic (alkaline). Shade: F = full shade S = semi-shade N = no shade. Moisture: D = dry M = Moist We = wet Wa = water.

 

Expert comment

Author

L.

Botanical References

1117200

Links / References

For a list of references used on this page please go here

Readers comment

Add a comment

If you have important information about this plant that may help other users please add a comment or link below. Only comments or links that are felt to be directly relevant to a plant will be included. If you think a comment/link or information contained on this page is inaccurate or misleading we would welcome your feedback at [email protected]. If you have questions about a plant please use the Forum on this website as we do not have the resources to answer questions ourselves.

* Please note: the comments by website users are not necessarily those held by PFAF and may give misleading or inaccurate information.

To leave a comment please Register or login here All comments need to be approved so will not appear immediately.

Subject : Cornus sanguinea  
All the information contained in these pages is Copyright (C) Plants For A Future, 1996-2012.
Plants For A Future is a charitable company limited by guarantee, registered in England and Wales. Charity No. 1057719, Company No. 3204567,
Web Design & Management
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons License. Some information cannot be used for commercial reasons or be modified (but some can). Please view the copyright link for more information.