Practical
Plants

Cornus capitata

Bentham's Cornel

a perennial woody deciduous member of the Cornus genus in the family Cornaceae.

No photo available

Taxonomy and growth

Family
Cornaceae
Genus
Cornus
Life cycle
perennial
Foliage
deciduous
Woodiness
woody
Growth rate
moderate
Height
12 m
Spread
12 m
Fertility
Insects
Flower type
hermaphrodite
Pollinators
Insects

Uses

Toxicity

Toxicity warning. The historical record reports a hazard for this plant. Do not use it to decide which parts are safe to eat or use medicinally.

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

None known

Edible uses

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Fruit - raw or cooked. A bitter-sweet flavour[15][4][12], tasting like an over-ripe banana[10]. The fruit can also be used in preserves[21][7]. The fruit is about 25mm in diameter[16], it is fleshy with a number of seeds and a tough slightly bitter skin[K]. Our experience is that some trees can produce quite pleasant tasting fruits, but many others produce fruit with a distinct and unpleasant bitterness[K]. The fruit ripens in late autumn to early winter and will fail to ripe properly if the weather is very cold[K].

Plant part
Fruit

Medicinal uses

Historical medicinal uses. These records describe reported uses. They do not establish safety or effectiveness. Ask a qualified health professional before using any plant medicinally.

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

The bark is used medicinally[18]. No further information is given, though the bark is a source of tannin which is used as an astringent[K].

Product or use
Astringent

Material uses

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

The branches and leaves are a source of tannin[18]. Wood - very hard, close grained but warps when being seasoned. Used mainly for fuel[8][19].

Product or use
Fuel
Product or use
Wood
Product or use
Tannin

Ecology and functions

Ecosystem niche
Canopy, Secondary canopy

Environment

Range
E. Asia - China to the Himalayas.
Habitat
Forests and shrubberies to 3400 metres in the Himalayas[21]. Moist hillsides at elevations of 1700 - 2600 metres in Nepal[19]. Evergreen and mixed forests, 1000 - 3200 metres[18].
Light
full sun
Shade tolerance
light shade
Water
moderate
Hardiness
Zone 8+
Soil textures
sandy, loamy, clay, heavy clay
Soil pH
acid, neutral, alkaline, very alkaline
Tolerances
high wind, maritime exposure
Wind
Yes
Maritime
Yes
Tolerates Nutritionally Poor Soil
No
Drought
intolerant

Propagation

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Seed - best sown as soon as it is ripe in a cold frame or in an outdoors seedbed if there is sufficient seed[24][6]. The seed must be separated from the fruit flesh since this contains germination inhibitors[24][9]. Stored seed should be cold stratified for 3 - 4 months and sown as early as possible in the year[9]. Scarification may also help as may a period of warm stratification before the cold stratification[24][9]. Germination, especially of stored seed, can be very slow, taking 18 months or more[9]. Prick out the seedlings of cold-frame sown seeds into individual pots as soon as they are large enough to handle and grow the plants on for their first winter in a greenhouse, planting out in the spring after the last expected frosts. Cuttings of half-ripe side shoots, July/August in a frame. Cuttings of mature wood of the current year's growth, taken with a heel if possible, autumn in a cold frame. High percentage[23]. Layering of new growth in June/July. Takes 9 months[23].

Cultivation

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

An easily grown plant, it succeeds in any soil of good or moderate fertility[2], ranging from acid to shallow chalk[16]. Grows well in heavy clay soils. Succeeds in full sun or light shade[[14]. Prefers semi-shade[17]. This species is hardy to between -5 and -10°c[13], it grows very well in S.W. England, self-sowing and fruiting prolifically in Cornish woodland gardens[5][20][22][1][3][11] and doing well by the coast where it tolerates sea winds[11]. Plants are not hardy in the London area, being killed even when on a south-facing wall[5]. Another report says that it succeeds as far north as Edinburgh. Squirrels are very fond of this fruit[10]. This species has been known to hybridize with C. kousa, the cultivar 'Norman Hadden' could be such a hybrid[11]. Plants in this genus are notably resistant to honey fungus[16].

References

  1. PFAFimport

    Unresolved citation

    ↩

  2. F. Chittendon. RHS Dictionary of Plants plus Supplement. 1956 Oxford University Press 1951-00-00

    ↩

  3. RHS. The Garden. Volume 111. Royal Horticultural Society 1986-00-00

    ↩

  4. Tanaka. T. Tanaka's Cyclopaedia of Edible Plants of the World. Keigaku Publishing 1976-00-00

    ↩

  5. Bean. W. Trees and Shrubs Hardy in Great Britain. Vol 1 - 4 and Supplement. Murray 1981-00-00

    ↩1↩2

  6. Dirr. M. A. and Heuser. M. W. The Reference Manual of Woody Plant Propagation. Athens Ga. Varsity Press 1987-00-00 ISBN 0942375009

    ↩

  7. Gamble. J. S. A Manual of Indian Timbers. Bishen Singh Mahendra Pal Singh 1972-00-00

    ↩

  8. Gupta. B. L. Forest Flora of Chakrata, Dehra Dun and Saharanpur. Forest Research Institute Press 1945-00-00

    ↩

  9. Bird. R. (Editor) Growing from Seed. Volume 4. Thompson and Morgan. 1990-00-00

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4

  10. Taylor. J. The Milder Garden. Dent 1990-00-00

    ↩1↩2

  11. Thomas. G. S. Ornamental Shrubs, Climbers and Bamboos. Murray 1992-00-00 ISBN 0-7195-5043-2

    ↩1↩2↩3

  12. Facciola. S. Cornucopia - A Source Book of Edible Plants. Kampong Publications 1990-00-00 ISBN 0-9628087-0-9

    ↩

  13. Phillips. R. & Rix. M. Shrubs. Pan Books 1989-00-00 ISBN 0-330-30258-2

    ↩

  14. Brickell. C. The RHS Gardener's Encyclopedia of Plants and Flowers Dorling Kindersley Publishers Ltd. 1990-00-00 ISBN 0-86318-386-7

    ↩

  15. Hedrick. U. P. Sturtevant's Edible Plants of the World. Dover Publications 1972-00-00 ISBN 0-486-20459-6

    ↩

  16. Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press 1992-00-00 ISBN 0-333-47494-5

    ↩1↩2↩3

  17. Grey-Wilson. C. & Matthews. V. Gardening on Walls Collins 1983-00-00 ISBN 0-00-219220-0

    ↩

  18. PFAFimport-266

    Unresolved citation

    ↩1↩2↩3

  19. Manandhar. N. P. Plants and People of Nepal Timber Press. Oregon. 2002-00-00 ISBN 0-88192-527-6

    ↩1↩2

  20. Arnold-Forster. Shrubs for the Milder Counties.

    ↩

  21. Polunin. O. and Stainton. A. Flowers of the Himalayas. Oxford Universtiy Press 1984-00-00

    ↩1↩2

  22. Thurston. Trees and Shrubs in Cornwall.

    ↩

  23. Sheat. W. G. Propagation of Trees, Shrubs and Conifers. MacMillan and Co 1948-00-00

    ↩1↩2

  24. McMillan-Browse. P. Hardy Woody Plants from Seed. Grower Books 1985-00-00 ISBN 0-901361-21-6

    ↩1↩2↩3

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