Cornus mas Bolestraszycki - European Cornel

Cornus mas Bolestraszycki is a Polish variety of cornelian cherry selected at the Bolestraszyce arboretum for its large size and delicious fruit quality. This small tree or large bush offers a decorative and nectar-rich yellow flowering from the end of winter, followed by large, tasty, bright red fruits shaped like small pears ripening from late August. The berries of this variety weigh an average of 3.3 grams and have a sweet taste (16% sugar). They can be eaten raw, dried, or cooked. The cornelian cherry is a beautiful and easy-to-grow bush. It does not mind harsh winters, hot summers, or chalky soils! To reach its full 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 bush that reaches a height ranging from 3 to 5 metres at maturity, with an equal width. It thrives in sunlight and is not demanding: 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 which will survive 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 September, in the form of elongated drupes of variable colour depending on the selection. They are edible, with a more or less acidic or sweet taste.

In the kitchen:

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

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

It is a very easy shrub to use in the garden. Tolerating pruning, it can be planted as an informal or trimmed hedge, or even as a specimen. It easily pairs with other spring-flowering shrubs 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.