Cornelian Cherry Dogwood Tree

Cornelian cherry dogwood is a small deciduous tree with bright yellow flowers that open before the leaves in early spring. Its edible red fruit, adaptable siting, and manageable canopy make it a useful flowering tree for a home landscape. ## Landscape Use and Seasonal Interest The flowers cover bare branches in late winter to early spring, followed by dark red fruit in midsummer and yellow to occasional reddish-purple autumn foliage. Plant it as an ornamental tree in a border, hedge, screen, or naturalized setting. Birds use the fruit as food. ## Size and Siting Expect roughly 20–25 feet of height and 15–20 feet of spread. It grows in full sun or partial shade and prefers rich, well-drained soil that remains moist. The species is hardy in USDA zones 4–8. ## Soil and Water Water regularly while the tree establishes, especially in dry periods. Once established, it is adaptable to a range of conditions; its fruit is tart and edible. ## Maintenance Remove suckers promptly if you want a single-trunk tree or need to control spread. The species is described as low maintenance, but periodic sucker removal helps keep its form tidy. [North Carolina Extension](https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/cornus-mas/) and [Oregon State University](https://landscapeplants.oregonstate.edu/plants/cornus-mas) describe the species’ size, flowers, siting, and hardiness; [Iowa State University Extension](https://yardandgarden.extension.iastate.edu/faq/what-are-cornelian-cherries) confirms its edible fruit and early-spring bloom.