cornelian cherry

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bigred Ashdown, AR(Zone 8a) Sep 28, 2008

I'm getting ready to plant 2 nice sized cornus mas so I'm doing some research. One source of info says they are sensitive to fall planting. Shoot,I always thought fall planting was best for trees. Should I hold off planting until late winter/early spring.

What about the fruit. Is it edible straight from the tree or better cooked?

Peggy

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krowten Greensburg, PA Sep 28, 2008

Peggy,

All of my C. mas were spring planted, so I cannot be much help there. However, if yours are in pots, it should not hurt to keep them potted, provided you sink the pots into the ground. Avoid areas that will be water soaked during the thaw or that get excessively wet. I have overwintered mine in pots without problems. Because C. mas are slow growing and do not always have a large root mass, it is important to not disturb the roots much when transplanting.

Regarding eating, perhaps your question should be rephrased. I always wait for the fruit to drop and then usually let it sit (after collecting and washing) for a period of time before eating (thus not straight from the tree). I have never cooked it. Fresh fruit must be completely ripe before developing the full (and excellent) flavor. If the fruit is not ripe, it will be very tart and sometimes have an unpleasant taste. Depending on variety, you get different amounts, shapes, sizes and tastes. Each year, I let some of mine dry. Because the seed is so large, the dried fruit has minimal eating value, but is tasty.

My favorite variety is Elegant. What varieties are you planting?

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bigred Ashdown, AR(Zone 8a) Sep 29, 2008

Thanks for that info. I came move them into the greenhouse for the winter. I received them in a trade labeled only c.mas.

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krowten Greensburg, PA Sep 29, 2008

They do need a cold period. Personally, I would not put them in a heated greenhouse over the winter, but an unheated one might be OK. My concern is that C. mas is one of the first trees to start blooming in the spring. Mine are in flower in March and April, well before freezing temps are gone. At minimum, I would put them in a cold spot if in the greenhouse. Perhaps there is someone out there that has put C. mas in a greenhouse overwinter that could respond with their experiences doing that.

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bigred Ashdown, AR(Zone 8a) Sep 30, 2008

My greenhouse isn't heated.

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