Cornus officinalis Seeds | Fructus Corni Pagoda Dogwood Shan Zhu Yu
LATIN NAME: Cornus officinalis
COMMON NAME: Cornelian Cherry Dogwood
Plant Profile
Cornus officinalis, better known as Cornelian Cherry Dogwood, is a deciduous tree in the dogwood family. LATIN NAME: Cornus officinalis COMMON NAME: Cornelian Cherry Dogwood dogwood carries its small, red fruits in tight clusters, and small, yellow-green flowers open in early spring. It is a tree of open, sunny to lightly shaded, deep, well-drained ground. Gardeners value it precisely for this blend of qualities.
Science & Biotechnology
Shan zhu yu, the bright red fruit of the Asiatic dogwood, is standardised in the Chinese Pharmacopoeia on the iridoid glycosides loganin and morroniside. These iridoids have shown kidney-protective effects in models of diabetic nephropathy — reducing oxidative stress and podocyte damage — which modern researchers link to the fruit’s classical role in formulas for ‘securing essence’, such as Liu Wei Di Huang Wan. Cornus is also a fine small garden tree with early yellow blossom and edible, tart fruit, one of the few dogwoods grown for the table as well as the apothecary.
Research touching on Cornus officinalis ranges from the botany of the dogwood family to practical horticulture, including seed handling, propagation and the selection of superior forms. It retains a following among breeders and collectors, which keeps seed stocks in circulation.
Uses & Benefits
Cornelian Cherry Dogwood brings genuine presence to the garden and earns its keep across the growing season. Dogwood is a fine, steady tree of woodland edge and bird garden. Give young tree light shade and deep soil, and it will settle in the first years. It takes hold quickly and asks for no special treatment from then on.
Cornelian cherry fruits, Shan Zhu Yu, are a classical Chinese astringent tonic herb and a tart, vitamin-rich fruit for preserves; the genus’s iridoid glycosides, loganin and morroniside, are studied for kidney-protective effects.
Growing from Seed
Starting Cornelian Cherry Dogwood from seed is simple and satisfying. Use a fine, free-draining seed compost, scatter the seed evenly, cover it lightly and hold it just moist in good light. Pot the young plants on as they grow, harden them off gradually, and plant them into their final positions when sturdy.
Our Take
Its long record of traditional use, described above, gives the plant a story beyond ornament. Cornelian Cherry Dogwood is the kind of plant that rewards a permanent spot. Minor errors in timing or watering rarely cost the grower the crop.
Related Reading
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