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Cornus mas
Kornelkirsche · (Cornus mas)
Dogwood family (Cornaceae)
Description
Long before its leaves unfurl, the cornelian cherry cloaks itself in a haze of tiny yellow blossoms in earliest spring, a reliable sign of the season in gardens and open woodland across Central Europe. From August the flowers give way to elongated, bright red stone fruit rich in vitamin C, anthocyanins, tannins and pectin. Fresh, they taste tart and are traditionally turned into purée, syrup or jam; in folk use the fruit was regarded as supportive for digestion and for feverish colds, and the blossoms were likewise used for stomach complaints. Cornelian cherries are considered safe when eaten as usual, though unripe fruit is strongly astringent and best avoided, and the stones should be removed before eating.
Ripe cornelian cherry fruits are eaten fresh or prepared as compote, jam, juice, and dried fruit. They have a pleasantly tart-sweet flavour and supply abundant vitamin C and anthocyanins. Unripe fruits are strongly astringent and should not be eaten raw.
Preparation & dosage
In traditional folk medicine of the Balkans and Caucasus, decoctions of the fruit were used against diarrhea, dysentery, and fever. The astringent action of tannins is responsible for the mucosa-soothing effect.
Preparation & dosage
Simmer 5–10 g dried fruits (pitted) in 250 ml water for 10 minutes, strain, drink twice daily.
- Dry amount
- 5–10 g
- Doses per day
- 2×
The early-blooming yellow flowers were used in folk medicine as a mild laxative and digestive remedy. An infusion of fresh or dried flowers is considered gentle on the stomach.
Preparation & dosage
Pour 200 ml of hot water over 2–4 g fresh or dried flowers, steep 8 minutes, strain.
- Dry amount
- 2–4 g
- Doses per day
- 1×
Sources: [4]
Tinctures and liqueurs from the fruits are widespread in Southern and Eastern Europe. The iridoids (loganic acid, cornuside) and anthocyanins of cornelian cherry are well extracted by alcohol and are considered antioxidant and antibacterial.
Preparation & dosage
Sources: [3]
In Caucasian folk use, fresh fruits and seed oil were applied externally for slow-healing wounds and skin conditions. The oil contains 70–75% linoleic acid.
Sources: [3]
In Azerbaijani and Georgian cuisine, cornelian cherries are used as a seasoning for rice dishes, meat sauces, and dried fruit preparations (Pestil/Turshu). Unripe pickled fruits are used similarly to olives.
Sources: [2]
No known adverse effects with normal use. Remove stones before consumption (no amygdalin detected, but mechanically disruptive). Unripe fruit strongly astringent — use only fully ripe fruit.
No sufficient data for pregnancy; moderate food use (jam, juice) is generally considered safe.
No data; moderate food use is generally considered safe.
Always remove stones before giving to children. Cooked or processed fruit (jam, compote) is safe for children from toddler age.
Contraindications
- No known contraindications for food use.
Harvested part: ripe fruits
- Time of day:
- Harvest in the morning or during cool weather when fruits are deep red and slightly soft.
- Drying:
- Pit the fruits and dry at 40–50 °C in a dehydrator or in the open air; store in a dark, dry place.
- Storage:
- 12 months — Store dried fruits in airtight containers in a dark, cool place.
- Time of day:
- Harvest flowers in dry weather before they are fully open.
- Drying:
- Dry at room temperature in an airy, shaded spot; store in paper bags.
- Storage:
- 12 months — Dried in paper bags or jars, protected from light.
- Anthocyane (Cyanidin-, Delphinidin-, Pelargonidin-Glykoside)FlavonoidFruit
Main pigments of ripe fruits; strongly antioxidant, cytoprotective. Five anthocyanin compounds identified.
- Logansäure (Loganic acid)GlycosideFruit
Main iridoid of cornelian cherry; antibacterial, anti-inflammatory.
- CornusidGlycosideFruit
Second key iridoid; shows antifungal properties.
- Vitamin C (Ascorbinsäure)VitaminFruit
Significant vitamin C content; contributes to immune-supporting effect.
- Gerbstoffe (Tannine)TanninContent: 7-16 %Bark
High tannin content in bark (7–16 %); responsible for the astringent effect.
- PektinePolysaccharideFruit
Gel-forming polysaccharides; contribute to jam consistency and gastrointestinal mucosa protection.
- LinolsäureOtherContent: 70-75 %Seed
Dominant fatty acid in seed oil (70–75 %); essential omega-6 fatty acid.
- UrsolsäureOtherFruit
Triterpenoid; shows anti-inflammatory and hepatoprotective activity in vitro.
- [3]MonographCornus mas L. (cornelian cherry), an important European and Asian traditional food and medicine: Ethnomedicine, phytochemistry and pharmacology for its commercial utilization in drug industry(accessed: 2026-05-22)
- [4]BookPFAF Plant Database — Cornus mas(accessed: 2026-05-22)
- [1]WikipediaKornelkirsche (Wikipedia DE)(accessed: 2026-05-22)
- [2]WikipediaCornus mas (Wikipedia EN)(accessed: 2026-05-22)