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Cornaceae FAMILY

Cornus wilsoniana

Cornus wilsoniana

Edibility
0/5
Medicinal
0/5

Safety & Hazards

None known

Cultivation Details

HabitDeciduous Tree
Growth—

Cornus wilsoniana is a somewhat cold-hardy tree, tolerating temperatures down to around -15°c when dormant. An easily grown plant, it succeeds in any soil of good or moderate fertility[1], ranging from acid to shallow chalk[2]. Grows well in heavy clay soils. Succeeds in full sun or light shade[[3]. The tree has a high potential as a biofuel crop and active breeding programs have been carried out in China in order to increase fruit yield. The current yield is about 3,000 kg dry fruit per hectare, however 15 cultivars have been selected that are able to produce up to 5,000 kg dry fruit per hectare[4]. Selected cultivars had been planted more than 55,000 hectares as of 2010, with a targeted production area of 2 million hectares by 2020[4]. The attractively shaped crown and the mottled bark make Cornus wilsoniana a good candidate for a street tree[5, 6]. Plants in this genus are notably resistant to honey fungus[2]. This species is very closely related to Cornus walteri[2].

Propagation

Seed - best sown as soon as it is ripe in a cold frame or in an outdoors seedbed if there is sufficient seed[7, 8]. The seed must be separated from the fruit flesh since this contains germination inhibitors[7, 9]. Stored seed should be cold stratified for 3 - 4 months and sown as early as possible in the year[9]. Scarification may also help as may a period of about 3 days warm stratification at 15°c before the cold stratification[7, 9]. Germination, especially of stored seed, can be very slow, taking 18 months or more[9]. Prick out the seedlings of cold-frame sown seeds into individual pots as soon as they are large enough to handle and grow the plants on for their first winter in a greenhouse, planting out in the spring after the last expected frosts. Cuttings of half-ripe side shoots, mid summer in a frame. Cuttings of mature wood of the current year's growth, taken with a heel if possible, autumn in a cold frame. High percentage[10]. Layering of new growth in early summer/July. Takes 9 months[10]. Cite as: Temperate Plants Database, Ken Fern. temperate.theferns.info. 2026-02-21. <temperate.theferns.info/plant/Cornus+wilsoniana>

Pollinators

Insects

References

  1. [1]RHS Dictionary of Plants plus Supplement. 1956 — F. Chittendon. · Oxford University Press · 1951 · ISBN - ↩︎Comprehensive listing of species and how to grow them. Somewhat outdated, it has been replaced in 1992 by a new dictionary (see [ 200 ]).
  2. [2]The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. — Huxley. A. · MacMillan Press · 1992 · ISBN 0-333-47494-5 ↩︎Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
  3. [3]The RHS Gardener's Encyclopedia of Plants and Flowers — Brickell. C. · Dorling Kindersley Publishers Ltd. · 1990 · ISBN 0-86318-386-7 ↩︎Excellent range of photographs, some cultivation details but very little information on plant uses.
  4. [4]A method for micropropagation of Comus wilsoniana: An important biofuel plant — Yongxin Li; Xiaoming Wang; Jianjun Chen; Neng Cai; Huijie Ze · 2015 ↩︎
  5. [5]Flora of China — Missouri Botanical Garden Press; St. Louis. · 1994 · http://flora.huh.harvard.edu/china/ ↩︎An excellent, comprehensive resource in 25 volumes. In addition to the botanical information the flora also gives basic information on habitat and some uses. An on-line version is also available.
  6. [6]New Trees — Grimshaw J.; Bayton R.; Wilks H. · Kew Publishing; London · 2009 · ISBN 1842461737 ↩︎Provides comprehensive botanical descriptions and horticultural commentary on over 800 tree species that have been introduced to cultivation in recent decades.
  7. [7]Hardy Woody Plants from Seed. — McMillan-Browse. P. · Grower Books · 1985 · ISBN 0-901361-21-6 ↩︎Does not deal with many species but it is very comprehensive on those that it does cover. Not for casual reading.
  8. [8]The Reference Manual of Woody Plant Propagation. — Dirr. M. A. and Heuser. M. W. · Athens Ga. Varsity Press · 1987 · ISBN 0942375009 ↩︎A very detailed book on propagating trees. Not for the casual reader.
  9. [9]Growing from Seed. Volume 4. — Bird. R. (Editor) · Thompson and Morgan. · 1990 · ISBN - ↩︎Very readable magazine with lots of information on propagation. A good article on Yuccas, one on Sagebrush (Artemesia spp) and another on Chaerophyllum bulbosum.
  10. [10]Propagation of Trees, Shrubs and Conifers. — Sheat. W. G. · MacMillan and Co · 1948 · ISBN - ↩︎A bit dated but a good book on propagation techniques with specific details for a wide range of plants.
  11. [11]Trees and Shrubs Hardy in Great Britain. Vol 1 - 4 and Supplement. — Bean. W. · Murray · 1981 · ISBN - ↩︎A classic with a wealth of information on the plants, but poor on pictures.