Cornus mas Juliusz - European Cornel

Cornus mas 'Juliusz' is a Polish variety selected at the Bolestraszyce arboretum for its fleshy and juicy fruits with small stones. This small tree or large bush offers a decorative and nectar-rich yellow flowering from the end of winter, followed by cherry-like fruits, ripening from late August. The almost round fruits of this variety weigh an average of 3 grams, they are not very sweet (10% sugar), but very juicy. They can be eaten raw, turned into juice or cooked. The cornelian cherry is a beautiful and easy-to-grow bush. It does not mind harsh winters, hot summers, or limestone soils! To reach 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 bush that reaches a height ranging from 3 to 5 metres at maturity, with an equal width. It thrives in sunlight and is undemanding: it grows very well in limestone, 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 do not mind 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. The foliage takes on beautiful yellow, orange, or red tones before falling in autumn. Fruiting occurs in late summer, earlier or later depending on the varieties, in the form of drupes of variable colour, size, and shape.

In the kitchen:

Cornels are naturally rich in vitamin C, minerals, and pectin. They can be eaten raw or dried, similar to goji berries, but also cooked. They are used in compotes mixed with cranberries and pears to accompany game. They can also be frozen. These fruits also make a delicious syrup with 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 known for its dense and very hard wood, used in the past to make arrows, javelins, tool handles or walking sticks.

It is a very easy bush to use in the garden. Tolerating pruning, it can be planted as an informal or trimmed hedge, or even as a specimen plant. It easily pairs with other spring-flowering shrubs such as Japanese Quinces or Korean White Forsythia. It is ornamental, but it is 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.