Native to: Europe and Western Asia
Leaves: Opposite, simple, oval to elliptical, entire with distinct veins, 2.5 to 5 in long
Leaf color: Dark green above, lighter below; Insignificant fall color
Flower: Yellow flowers on short stalks bloom in early spring before the leaves emerge in dense, showy, rounded clusters (umbels to 3/4" wide); Each umbel is surrounded at the base by small, yellowish, petaloid bracts which are much less showy than the large decorative bracts found on some other species of dogwood such as Cornus florida (flowering dogwood) and Cornus kousa (kousa dogwood)
Fruit: Ellipsoid, fleshy, one-seeded berries (drupes to 5/8" long) which mature to cherry red in mid-summer
Mature size: Height of 15-25ft; Spread of 15-20ft
Growing conditions: Easily grown in average, medium, well-drained soil in full sun to part shade. Prefers moist, organically rich soil
Landscape: Best as a hedge, screen or foundation plant or as a specimen or grouping in the shrub border
Food: Fruits are edible raw or cooked, although sour tasting fresh off the plant; Fruits may be used for making syrups and preserves; A small amount of edible oil can be extracted from the seeds; Seeds can be roasted, ground into a powder and used as a coffee substitute
Medicine: Bark and the fruit are astringent, febrifuge and nutritive; Astringent fruit is a good treatment for bowel complaints and fevers, whilst it is also used in the treatment of cholera; Flowers can be used in the treatment of diarrhea
Other products: An oil is obtained from the seed; A dye is obtained from the bark; Leaves are a good source of tannin
http://www.missouribotanicalgarden.org/PlantFinder/PlantFinderDetails.aspx?kempercode=c290
http://www.mortonarb.org/trees-plants/tree-plant-descriptions/cornelian-cherry-dogwood
http://www.pfaf.org/user/plant.aspx?latinname=cornus+mas
