Cornelian Cherry ~ An Underutilized Beauty

By Missinghenrymitchell

missinghenrymitchell:

Not going to be underutilized in my garden; I have its site picked out, if it ever stops sleeting.

Originally posted on A Garden of Possibilities:

© Scott Arboretum

As we become more aware that our gardens can be multi-taskers – they can be beautiful, colorful, add value to our homes and also feed the local wildlife as part of the larger ecosystem – we’re beginning to appreciate many wildlife-friendly shrubs that in the past were dismissed as not being ‘garden worthy’. Deemed too messy, too wild or even too boring when compared to its more showy cousins for inclusion in a designed garden, cornelian cherry deserves a closer look.

The Basics

Botanical Name:  Cornus mas

Common Name:  Cornelian cherry

Mature Size:  20′ tall x 15′ wide

Site Specifics:  Very adaptable, tolerating a wide range of soil pH as well as clay soil. Preferring full sun to part shade,

Wildlife Value:  As one of the first flowers of spring, it’s pale yellow flowers are devoured by pollinators.  Deep red fruits ripen…

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