Cornus officinalis Robins Pride - Japanese Cornelian Cherry

Cornus officinalis 'Robin's Pride', also known as cornelian cherry, is a variety of Japanese cornelian cherry that stands out for its broad and upright pyramid habit with a more dominant central leader than the species, giving it a charming small tree-like silhouette! It is covered in beautifully curved dark green ovate leaves, which turn yellow and then deep purple-red before falling. Its shiny reddish-brown bark peels off in plates, giving its trunk a unique texture. Its spring flowering is one of the earliest of the year, occurring as early as February in the form of numerous dense clusters of small golden-yellow honey-scented flowers, covering the entire length of its bare branches. They are followed by oblong bright red berries that are highly appreciated by birds. Hardy and undemanding, it can be planted in full sun or partial shade in well-drained soils, preferably limestone. Use this ornamental variety throughout the seasons as a focal point in a small wildlife garden!

The Japanese Cornelian cherry is a large deciduous shrub native to China and Korea, long introduced into Japanese gardens. The 'Robin's Pride' selection was imported by the Netherlands. It grows fairly quickly and has a tree-like habit, composed of one or more short trunks and a bushy, open crown, slightly taller than wide. At maturity, it will reach an average height of 5m (16 ft 5 in) and a spread of 3m (9 ft 10 in) in our gardens. Flowering takes place in the heart of winter or late winter depending on the climate, from February to March. On the bare branches clusters of small yellow 4-petaled highly fragrant flowers appear at the axils of the leaf buds. After pollination, they give way to small fleshy, bright red, edible fruits. The branches bear entire, ovate leaves crossed by 7 prominent veins. They are light green in spring and summer, then take on beautiful shades ranging from orange-yellow to deep purple-red, especially when the shrub is exposed to the sun. Finally, the bark of Cornus officinalis, which is rather grey-beige, peels off strongly, revealing cinnamon to orange bark plates.

This Japanese cornelian cherry is a beautiful and easy-to-grow shrub that brings life to the garden in winter. It is not very demanding regarding soil type and only requires a sunny exposure. The more tree-like compact habit of the 'Robin's Pride' variety makes it interesting for planting as a specimen or for embellishing a smaller garden. Place it not too far from the house or garden entrance: it will welcome visitors with elegance and distinction throughout the year, except perhaps in summer. To accompany it, you can choose summer-flowering shrubs such as a large botanical rose, a mock orange, or a butterfly bush. All these characteristics make it an excellent shrub for a natural garden.