Cornus mas Koralowyj Marka - European Cornel

Cornus mas 'Korałłowyj Marka' is a variety of Cornelian cherry that is very popular in Ukraine and is characterised by large, tasty fruits with a beautiful reddish-pink colour when ripe. It is a modest-sized selection (3.50 m in all directions), productive and rather early, with fruits that are harvested around mid-August. The barrel-shaped cornels weigh an average of 5.8 grams and have a slightly acidic, slightly sweet flavour (12.7% sugar). They can be eaten raw, dried, or cooked. This small tree or large bush offers decorative and nectar-rich yellow flowering and beautiful autumn colours from the end of winter onwards. It is easy to grow and doesn't mind harsh winters, hot summers, or chalky soils! To fulfill its potential, this variety should not lack water before early summer.

Cornus mas is native to Europe. Like all Cornus, it belongs to the Cornaceae family. It is a spreading shrub that reaches 3 to 5 metres high at maturity, with an equal width. It thrives in sunlight and is undemanding: it grows very well in chalky, ordinary, or even poor soil, but also tolerates slightly more acidic soils.

Its bright yellow flowers appear in February-March, before the leaves, in the form of numerous small umbels, undamaged by frost. Its deciduous leaves are ovate, 4 to 10 cm long, and arranged opposite each other on its square-sectioned branches. They are slightly wavy. Fruiting occurs in late summer, in the form of drupes of various shapes and colours depending on the selection. They are edible with a more or less acidic or sweet taste.

In the kitchen:

Cornels are naturally rich in vitamin C, minerals, and pectin. They can be eaten raw or dried, similar to goji berries, as well as cooked. They are used in compotes mixed with cranberries and pears to accompany game. They can also be frozen. These fruits also yield a delicious syrup with a high vitamin content. They have been used for centuries to make jams, jellies, and compotes. It is usually necessary to add sugar.

Cornus mas is also renowned for its dense and very hard wood, used in the past to make arrows, javelins, tool handles or walking sticks.

This is a very easy shrub to use in the garden. It tolerates pruning and can be planted as an informal or trimmed hedge, or even as a specimen plant. It easily pairs with other shrubs that bloom in spring, such as Japanese Quinces or Korean White Forsythia. it is ornamental and also appreciated for its ecological interest: its early flowering provides food for the first bees and other pollinators, and its fruits are loved by birds.