Cornus macrophylla

What to Eat

Edible parts: Fruit, Leaves, Seeds - oil

The fruit can be eaten raw or cooked. It is about 6mm in diameter.

Where to Find It

It is a temperate plant. It is native to China, Japan and the Himalayas. In the Himalayas it grows between 1,500-2,700 m altitude. It suits hardiness zones 6-9. In Sichuan and Yunnan.

Afghanistan, Asia, Australia, Bhutan, China, Himalayas, India, Indochina, Japan, Korea, Myanmar, Nepal, Northeastern India, Pakistan, SE Asia, Taiwan, Tibet,

How to Identify

A deciduous tree. It grows up to 15-20 m tall. The bark is dark grey and becomes cracked with age. The leaves are oval and 15 cm long by 7.5 cm wide. They taper to a slender tip. The leaves have a wavy edge and do not have teeth. They are dark green and smooth on the upper surface and bluish-green and hairy underneath. The flowers are small and creamy white. They have four petals. They occur in loose flattened heads which are 15 cm across. The fruit are small and rounded and like berries. They are green but turn reddish-purple then blue black as they ripen. They are 6 mm across.

How to Grow

An easily grown plant, it succeeds in any soil of good or moderate fertility, ranging from acid to shallow chalk. Grows well in heavy clay soils. Succeeds in full sun or light shade. A very ornamental tree. There is some confusion between this species and C. controversa. Plants usually fruit heavily in Britain. The flowers have a soft sweet perfume. Plants in this genus are notably resistant to honey fungus.

Propagation: Seed is best sown as soon as it is ripe, either in a cold frame or an outdoor seedbed if sufficient seed is available. The seed must be separated from the fruit flesh, which contains germination inhibitors. Stored seed should be cold stratified for 3–4 months and sown as early in the year as possible. Scarification may also help, as may a period of warm stratification before the cold stratification. Germination, especially of stored seed, can be very slow, taking 18 months or more. Prick out cold-frame seedlings into individual pots once large enough to handle, grow on through their first winter under glass, and plant out in spring after the last expected frosts. Cuttings of half-ripe side shoots can be taken in July/August in a frame. Cuttings of mature wood of the current year's growth, taken with a heel if possible, can be taken in autumn in a cold frame, with a high success rate. Layering of new growth in June/July takes around 9 months to root.

Medicinal Uses

The plant is anodyne, astringent, and tonic. The wood is anodyne and acts as a uterosedative. The stem bark is used in the treatment of dysentery.

Other Uses

The wood is hard and close-grained but warps badly. It makes a good charcoal.

Cornus macrophylla, commonly known as the large-leafed dogwood, is a species of dogwood found in Afghanistan, Bhutan, India, Kashmir, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan, Taiwan, and several provinces in China, including Anhui, Fujian, Gansu, Guangdong, Guangxi, Guizhou, Hainan, Hubei, Hunan, Jiangsu, Jiangxi, Ningxia, Shaanxi, Shandong, Sichuan, Xizang, Yunnan, and Zhejiang.

Production

In Yunnan fruit are available in August and September.

Notes

There are about 45 Cornus species.

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