Cornus sanguinea
Trees
Collect fruit when ripe and stratify straight away. Sow seeds in spring. Cuttings root
well
The Welsh call it the wax tree because the berries are a source of lamp oil.
|
|
Cornus sanguinea |
|
| Trees
|
Cornus
sanguinea is a tall deciduous shrub that sends out
suckers to form dense thickets reaching up to 4m in height. Growing best on chalk or
limestone soil it spreads by suckers or seeds dropped by birds. Blood red shoots and
crimson autumn leaves give its latin name Sanguinea. It has dull green hairy leaves 4-10cm
long with veins curving to the tip, which are attractive to caterpillers of the
green hairsteak butterfly. Unpleasant smelling greenish white flowers appear in June and
are particulary attractive to insects. Round bitter black berries grow in clusters
ripening in August or September. It has white hard wood that has a variety of uses from
skewers, to making charcoal.
The Welsh call it the wax tree because the berries are a source of lamp oil.
|
||
|
|
|||