so what factors do you consider in purchasing a C. Mas tree for fruit? are there any varieties you can recommend and can you tell me why you would recommend them?
I can’t grow every variety so I need some differentiating factors to help me pick and sweetness seems to be pretty universal when considering fruit in general, even tart or astringent varieties, but maybe not as some seem to be frustrated that I’m even asking this question.
I don’t expect them to be “eat out of hand” sweet but if they have more natural sweetness then I would need to add less additional sugar when processing, no?
I have the cornus mas cultivars Elegant (elehantnyi) and Yellow (yantarnyi). I like both of them. So far Yellow has higher yields, smaller fruit and a bit more of a tropical fruit flavor. Yellow can also be harvested by shaking the tree and having the fruit fall on a sheet or tarp which is typically how cornus mas is harvested. Elegant is a larger and sweeter fruit and normally doesn’t drop when ripe. I think both would be good choices for you. So far I have seen little in the way of disease issues or insect attack on the leaves but both do occur.
You’re where I was in 2015 when I was searching for cultivars. I would read all you can and try to make the best choices you can with the information available. Unfortunately, there isn’t really a scientific way to make a choice. I read all the descriptions and ended up with these two. There is a cornus mas facebook group that is worth checking out. You will get a fair amount of opinions there. I chatted with one of the guys that had a collection of cornus mas and he felt my selections were good. You could also buy some canned or dried cornelian cherries which would give you a general idea about what the fruit tastes like.
Of the different ones I’m growing I really like Aloysha. It’s a yellow fruited one so, very different from the reds. Speaking of reds ones, I like Elegant a lot. Pioneer is good. There’s a seedling at an arboretum near me that I’ve dubbed Yugo Sweet, it’s the sweetest I’ve tasted. I grow Shafer but maybe it needs to get a little bit older to really get sweet fruit. My full list is at cornus-mas.com
is Aloysha available as a grafted tree commercially? if not, how does it compare to the yellow cultivar Yantarnyi (Yellow™)? is Yantarnyi (Yellow™) worth it?
The only source of Aloysha in the states besides me would be from Dan at Cricket Hill Garden in CT. I sent him some wood last winter and he had some good takes. If it’s not on his website send him a message to inquire. As for how it compares to Yellow/Yantarny… Aloysha is earlier and sweeter. If you have the space, grow both. Yellow fruited C. mas is not as common as the red ones.
*To your comment “is it worth it” … I like all Cornelian Cherries but small fruited seedlings are really the only ones I wouldn’t make space for. Well that’s not totally true, I have a seedling that was originally a rootstock from a supplier and it has really small fruit. The smallest I’ve seen. Like pea sized fruit. I’m growing that as a novelty. Haha. I’m calling it Microcarpa.
How do Koralovyi Marka (Coral Blaze) and Ekzotychnyi (Exotic) compare to Elegant and Yugo Sweet? Do you consider any of these varieties good for fresh eating?
I think both of those varieties are good for fresh eating. But I like all Cornelian Cherries and will eat any of them fresh. The key is to make sure that they’re dark and soft. Then they’re the sweetest.
so I ended up getting a Coral Blaze and a Yellow variety from one green world. I still would like some more yellow fruited cultivars so I reached out to Dan at Cricket Hill Garden in CT and he said to check back with him in May to see the status on Aloysha. I found Flava online (but out of stock) at broken arrow nursury in CT and I’m on a waitlist for that one. if you know of any other yellow fruited varieties sold and shipped to the US as grafted trees (bare rooted or potted) please let me know.
@wildforager should I cage my cornus mas for their first season to protect it from deer? they have ravaged a decorative dogwood of mine (stellar pink cultivar) so I suspect they may also have a taste for cornus mas.
Does anyone know if they are juglone resistant? Several Cornus trees are documented with resistance, but I have no info on cornus mas.
Years ago I read an article about Cornelian cherries in a certain country that prized them for fresh eating fruit and a wide range of delicious varieties could be found at open markets. The writer said none of the varieties available in the U.S. compared to the best he’d tasted there.
Here’s what chat ai has to say about the importance of the crop in other countries but doesn’t mention fresh eating of sweet varieties.
"Cornelian cherries (Cornus mas) are most valued as a crop fruit in various parts of Eastern Europe and the Middle East. These small, red or yellow fruits are highly appreciated in countries like Turkey, Armenia, Georgia, Ukraine, and some parts of the Balkans. They are used in a variety of culinary applications, including making jams, jellies, compotes, and beverages.
In these regions, cornelian cherries have a long history of cultivation and are enjoyed for their tart flavor and nutritional benefits. They are often used in traditional dishes and are considered a valuable fruit crop. The fruit is also known for its health benefits, as it is rich in vitamin C and antioxidants."
@Bigmike1116 Those seem like good selections. Have you considered the Yugo Sweet that wildforager mentioned? It is likely a good idea to protect the trees from deer to be on the safe side. It would be great if you could update the thread in the future with your experience as the trees mature.
@alan Maybe some of the more recent introductions in the US have better fresh eating quality. Based on what you found, it seems like the fruit that isn’t great for fresh eating still has uses so that is good as a fallback if fresh eating still isn’t great.
I wonder if anyone has made a comprehensive variety search in the areas where they are so prized. This seems like a fruit worthy of breeding for improvement. wildforager seems to be doing this.
@Cgardener Yugo sweet is Wildforager’s own cultivar and is only available as scion wood from him (I don’t graft) or as a tree from cricket hill nursery and they are sold out. It just so happened that I was getting a black sea jujube from one green world that I was on the waitlist for since February and I noticed both the yellow and coral blaze varieties were also available so I pulled the trigger knowing I was more interested in the novelty of a yellow fruited cultivar over sweetness and the coral blaze has a documented sweetness of 12.7%. I’m just going to stick to these 2 cultivars unless I can get additional yellow fruited ones like Flava or Aloysha.
Also I just want to be clear that I’m under no illusions that this will be “eat out of hand” sweet. I was simply probing for the sweetest cultivars so they need less added sugar for jams, jellies, syrups, compotes, and other processed goods.
@Bigmike1116 Thank you for the reply! That makes sense for Yugo sweet just wanted to note it because it sounded like one of the varieties with good potential. I hope your two cultivars work out well and look forward to hearing about how they turn out!
@Robert While all Cornus mas are yellow Flowering, the standard fruit color is shades of red, only a select few are yellow fruiting and they are much more rare in the united states. Only one of the cultivars available at planting justice is yellow fruiting, ‘Yellow’ also called “Yartarnii” or “Yantarnyi” or “Yantarny” or “Kyiv Yellow” or “Jantarnyj” which is the same cultivar that I just purchased from One Green World.
I’m looking for other unique yellow fruited cultivars sold and shipped to the US as grafted trees (bare rooted or potted) because I don’t graft like:
Aliosha: (Syn: Alesza, Alesha, Alyosha) - being cultivated at cricket hill from scion wood provided by WildForager
Bukovynskyi
Chemshir
Early Yellow
Flava: aka Lutea: aka Luteocarpa - found at broken arrow nursery
Gelbe Selektion
Jalt: (Syn: Jaltskyi)
Jantarovy: aka Jantanovik - Could be the same as ‘Yellow’
Lagodekhi Yellow - Could be the same as ‘Flava’
Nana - might have yellow fruit?
Nizhyi
Prezent
