Cornus mas Kasanlak - European Cornel

Cornus mas 'Kazanlak' forms a small tree or large bush offering yellow, dazzling flowers from March to April followed by large pear-shaped, crimson-red fruits  from August. It is one of the first shrubs to bloom in spring and will be particularly enhanced by a carpet of spring bulbs such as muscari, daffodils, and early perennials like hellebores. Its large lemon-yellow flowers are also nectar-rich, making it a valuable source of nectar for bees during the winter months. The fruits are decorative due to their size and brilliant colour but are mainly cultivated for consumption. With a high content of vitamin C and minerals, they can be eaten raw or cooked in the form of jellies, jams, syrups, etc. The cornelian cherry is an easy-to-grow species that tolerates all well-drained soils, as long as it enjoys sunshine or partial shade. It is a sturdy and hardy tree or bush, suitable for planting in climates with warmer and drier summers and for gardens with chalky soils!

Cornelian cherries are native to southeastern and central Europe, where their late winter flowering is appreciated to brighten up public spaces and gardens still bare at this time of year. In February-March, their bare branches are covered with a multitude of small golden-yellow star-shaped flowers, gathered in clusters. They appear on the branches, in a colourful scene. The flowers, visited by the first bees of the season, give way to the appearance of edible berries, cornels, which ripen and turn red at the end of summer. Cornelian cherries are vigorous, compact shrubs with an upright habit when young, and spreading as they age. In our gardens, they reach about 5 metres (16 feet 5 inches) in height with a similar spread. They have dark green foliage, composed of elliptical leaves, 4 to 10 cm (1.6 to 3.9 in) long. In autumn, the Cornus mas catches the eye when it ignites with incandescent colours, predominantly deep red.

'Kazanlak' is a recent Bulgarian cultivar and is characterized by very large pear-shaped, crimson-red fruits measuring 3 to 5 cm (1.2 to 2 in). It reaches 4.5 meters (14 feet 10 inches) in all directions, making it suitable for embellishing a small garden or framing a terrace. Its fruits also distinguish it from the typical species as they are 2 to 3 times larger than regular cornels, weighing about 8 grams each. Very sweet and particularly rich in vitamin C, they are generally harvested from August. They can be enjoyed as jam, jelly, or just fallen from the tree, provided they are fully ripe. Birds gladly feed on them, contributing to maintaining a healthy ecosystem in your garden. The variety is self-fertile and can produce up to 150 kg of fruit after 40 years of cultivation. However, it is recommended to plant at least two specimens to ensure satisfactory fruiting.

The 'Kazanlak' Cornelian cherry likes sunny to semi-shady locations. It is very undemanding and it happy with ordinary, light, and poor, even chalky, soil. Plant it in a mixture of potting soil and garden soil that you have enriched with organic fertilizer. Avoid stagnant water in winter by planting it in well-drained soil. Its great hardiness allows it to withstand temperatures down to -20°C. Pruning of Cornus mas is not necessary but can be done at the end of winter, before the resumption of vegetation, to shape the shrub or remove dead or diseased wood. It is not very susceptible to diseases.

This small Cornelian cherry can be planted as a standalone specimen and become the highlight of a lawn from late winter when it is covered in flowers, in September with its multitude of red berries, and in autumn with its fiery foliage. It can also be used as a background plant in a border, accompanied by evergreen hedge shrubs such as Eleagnus ebbingei or Photinia fraseri 'Red Robin' to enhance its luminous flowering. This Cornus will also find a place in a hardy hedge, alongside an Arbutus or a burning bush, to attract wildlife to your garden with their decorative berries. Its modest size also allows it to be grown in a large container to decorate a terrace or balcony, along with evergreen shrubs that will take over when the Cornus goes dormant for winter.