Cornelian Cherry Plant Care

Cornelian Cherry (Cornus mas) belongs to the Cornaceae family within the Cornus genus. Cornelian Cherry is native to Western Europe, Southern Europe, and Southwestern Asia. Cornelian Cherry is also known as Cornelian Cherry Dogwood.

Cornelian Cherry displays a deciduous tree or shrub growth habit, reaching up to 20 ft tall with a spread of approximately 15 ft. Cornelian Cherry produces clusters of small, showy flowers in white, pink, or yellow.

Leaf size: approximately 6 inches.

Water a young or newly planted Cornelian Cherry every 7–10 days, soaking the whole root zone, until it is established — usually one to two growing seasons. Established trees mainly need water during long dry spells. In a container, water whenever the top few centimetres of soil are dry.

Cornelian Cherry thrives in full sun to part shade.

Cornus mas tolerates temperatures of 10–100°F. Cornelian Cherry prefers humidity levels of 40–70%.

Moist, well-draining soil rich in organic matter. Good drainage is essential for Cornelian Cherry to prevent waterlogging, which leads to root rot and fungal issues.

Feed Cornelian Cherry every 6 months during the growing season with a balanced, slow-release fertilizer at the rate on the label. Established trees in good soil often need little extra feeding, so let weak growth or pale foliage guide you.

Stop feeding by late summer so new growth can harden before winter.

The PlantoScan app can remind you when to water and when to fertilize each plant.

Choose a spot with full sun to part shade and moist, well-draining soil rich in organic matter. Avoid low spots where water collects after rain.

Cornelian Cherry is suited to USDA Zone 4a – 8b.

Plant container-grown or balled-and-burlapped trees in spring or early autumn, setting the root flare at soil level, and water well after planting.

Cornelian Cherry can spread to about 15 ft (4.6 m) and reach about 20 ft (6 m) tall. Space plants about 15 ft (4.6 m) apart so mature crowns don't crowd each other, and plant at least half that distance from buildings, fences and paths.

Planning a row or hedge? Try the tree spacing calculator.

Prune Cornelian Cherry while it is dormant in late winter: first remove dead, damaged and crossing branches, then thin lightly for shape.

If it flowers in spring, prune right after flowering instead so you don't remove next year's buds. Never take off more than about a quarter of the tree in one year.

Cornelian Cherry is hardy down to USDA zone 4a, so once established it can stay outdoors through winter in that zone and warmer ones.

Water deeply in late autumn before the ground freezes, and spread a 5–8 cm (2–3 in) layer of mulch over the root zone, keeping it away from the trunk.

Young and container-grown trees need extra protection: roots in a pot freeze much more easily than roots in the ground.

Cornelian Cherry can be propagated through softwood cuttings, seeds. Similar propagation techniques also apply to tartarian dogwood plant care, which shares the same genus.

See all plants toxic to cats and plants toxic to dogs.

Cornelian Cherry is susceptible to dogwood borer, scale insects, powdery mildew. Inspect the foliage regularly, especially along leaf undersides and stems. Treat infestations promptly with insecticidal soap or neem oil to prevent spread.

Yellow leaves, brown tips or drooping? See common plant problems and how to fix them.

Cornelian Cherry grows outdoors in USDA Zone 4a – 8b. It survives winters down to planting zone 4a. Cornelian Cherry is native to Western Europe, Southern Europe, and Southwestern Asia.