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Cornus mas

Shrub

HomeShrubCornus mas

Woodlands, especially in calcareous soils.

Family: Cornaceae
Height: 5 m / 17 ft
Sun, Semi-shade
Light, Medium and Heavy Soil
Moist

Plant Rating

Edible Uses: 4 of 5
Medicinal Uses: 2 of 5
Other Uses: 3 of 5

Native Habitat

Cornelian Cherry, Cornelian Cherry Dogwood Cornus mas native habitat is Woodlands, especially in calcareous soils.

Edible Uses

Fruit - raw, dried or used in preserves. Juicy, with a nice acid flavour. The fully ripe fruit has a somewhat plum-like flavour and texture and is very nice eating, but the unripe fruit is rather astringent. It is rather low in pectin and so needs to be used with other fruit when making jam. At one time the fruit was kept in brine and used like olives. The fruit is a reasonable size, up to 15mm long, with a single large seed. A small amount of edible oil can be extracted from the seeds. Seeds are roasted, ground into a powder and used as a coffee substitute.

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