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Cornus chinensis

Common name:		Family:	Cornaceae
Author:	Wangerin.	Botanical references:	11, 200, 266
Synonyms:
Known Hazards:	None known
Range:	E. Asia - C. and S. China.
Habitat:	Slopes, margins of mixed forests and dense forests at elevations of 700 - 2500, occasionally to 3500 metres[266].
Edibility Rating (1-5):	3	Medicinal Rating (1-5):	3

Other Possible Synonyms:	From various places across the web, may not be correct. See below.
	Corylus chinensis[G,HORTIPLEX,P] Corylus colurna var. chinensis[G,P] Corylus papyracea[G]
Other Common Names:	From various places around the Web, may not be correct. See below.
	Chinese Hazelnut [P],
Systematics:	From a USDA Plants Database
	Order: Cornales. Dogwood family

Physical Characteristics

A decidious tree growing to 10m. It is hardy to zone 8. It is in flower from February to March, and the seeds ripen in September. The flowers are hermaphrodite (have both male and female organs) and are pollinated by Insects. We rate it 3/5 for edibility and 3/5 for medicinal use.

The plant prefers light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils and can grow in heavy clay soil. The plant prefers acid, neutral and basic (alkaline) soils and can grow in very alkaline soil. It can grow in semi-shade (light woodland) or no shade. It requires moist soil.

Habitats and Possible Locations

Woodland, Canopy, Secondary.

Edible Uses

Fruit.

The following notes refer to the closely related species C. officinalis, they probably also apply to this species[K]:-

Fruit - raw or cooked[105, 177]. The fully ripe fruit is quite pleasant but slightly astringent[K]. It is about 1.5cm long[200]. The fruit contains about 8.6% sugars, 2.9% malic acid, 0.74% ash[179].

Medicinal Uses

Disclaimer

Antibacterial; Antifungal; Antiperiodic; Antiseptic; Antitumor; Astringent; Diuretic; Hepatic; Hypotensive; Tonic.

The fruit is used medicinally for similar treatments as Cornus officinalis[266]. These are:-

Shan Zhu Yu has been used for at least 2,000 years in Chinese herbal medicine. It is a herb that "stabilizes and binds" and is used principally to reduce heavy menstrual bleeding and unusually active secretions including copious sweating, excessive urine, spermatorrhoea and premature ejaculation[147, 238, 254]. Like all herbs that suppress bodily fluids (even excessive ones), it will simply prolong or lead to a worsening of symptoms if it is used without tonic or detoxifying herbs[254]. It is, therefore, normally used in combination with herbs such as Rehmannia glutinosa and is an ingredient of the "Pill of eight ingredients" which is used in China to "warm up and invigorate the yang of the loins"[254].
The fruit is antibacterial, antifungal, hypotensive, antitumor, astringent, diuretic, hepatic and tonic[116, 147, 176, 178, 238]. The fruit, without the seed, is decocted for the treatment of arthritis, fever and a wide range of other ailments[218]. It is used in the treatment of senile lumbago, diabetes, cystitis, tinnitus etc[174, 254]. The fruit has an antibacterial action, inhibiting the growth of Bacillus dysenteriae and Staphylococcus[176]. The fruit is harvested when fully ripe and is dried for later use[238].
The stem bark is astringent, antimalarial and tonic[218].
The plant is antibacterial, diuretic, hypotensive and a urinary antiseptic[218].

Other Uses

None known

Cultivation details

An easily grown plant, it succeeds in any soil of good or moderate fertility[1], ranging from acid to shallow chalk[200]. Grows well in heavy clay soils. Succeeds in full sun or light shade[[188]. Prefers semi-shade[219].
Plants are not very cold-tolerant, they succeed outdoors only in the milder areas of the country where winter temperatures do not fall below about -5°c[11, 200]. A specimen growing in a fairly open sunny position at Kew Gardens in April 1999 was about 10 years old and 2 metres tall. It had no sign of flowers, though it is obviously more cold hardy than believed since it has already tolerated temperatures rather lower than -5°c[K].
This species is very closely related to C. mas and C. officinalis, differing mainly in having black instead of red fruit[11, 200].
Plants in this genus are notably resistant to honey fungus[200].

Propagation

Seed - best sown as soon as it is ripe in a cold frame or in an outdoors seedbed if there is sufficient seed[80, 113]. The seed must be separated from the fruit flesh since this contains germination inhibitors[80, 164]. Stored seed should be cold stratified for 3 - 4 months and sown as early as possible in the year[164]. Scarification may also help as may a period of warm stratification before the cold stratification[80, 164]. Germination, especially of stored seed, can be very slow, taking 18 months or more[164]. 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, July/August 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[78].
Layering of new growth in June/July. Takes 9 months[78].

Suppliers

For more details of plant suppliers please see our Suppliers Page which lists many more places to look.

PFAF Web Pages

This plant is mentioned in the following web pages

Web References

[G] Data (Common Names, Uses, Distribution) from the USDA/ARS NPGS's GRIN taxonomic database.
[HP] Links, Photos, Suppliers from Hortiplex Plant Database

References for Corylus chinensis (a possible synonym).

[HP] Links, Photos, Suppliers from Hortiplex Plant Database

References for Corylus colurna var. chinensis (a possible synonym).

[G] Data (Common Names, Uses, Distribution) from the USDA/ARS NPGS's GRIN taxonomic database.
[P] Data. (uses, distribution, wetland) from the USDA'a Plants database.

References for the family Cornaceae.

[CHINA] Draft Data Very detailed botanical/identification info. from the Flora of China.

See the PFAF Links Pages for other sources.

Also try Photos and info from the The Plants Database which has 14,000 images.

References

[K] Ken Fern
Notes from observations, tasting etc at Plants For A Future and on field trips.

[1] F. Chittendon. RHS Dictionary of Plants plus Supplement. 1956 Oxford University Press 1951
Comprehensive listing of species and how to grow them. Somewhat outdated, it has been replaces in 1992 by a new dictionary (see [200]).

[11] Bean. W. Trees and Shrubs Hardy in Great Britain. Vol 1 - 4 and Supplement. Murray 1981
A classic with a wealth of information on the plants, but poor on pictures.

[78] Sheat. W. G. Propagation of Trees, Shrubs and Conifers. MacMillan and Co 1948
A bit dated but a good book on propagation techniques with specific details for a wide range of plants.

[80] McMillan-Browse. P. Hardy Woody Plants from Seed. 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.

[105] Tanaka. T. Tanaka's Cyclopaedia of Edible Plants of the World. Keigaku Publishing 1976
The most comprehensive guide to edible plants I've come across. Only the briefest entry for each species, though, and some of the entries are more than a little dubious. Not for the casual reader.

[113] Dirr. M. A. and Heuser. M. W. The Reference Manual of Woody Plant Propagation. Athens Ga. Varsity Press 1987 ISBN 0942375009
A very detailed book on propagating trees. Not for the casual reader.

[116] Brooklyn Botanic Garden Oriental Herbs and Vegetables, Vol 39 No. 2. Brooklyn Botanic Garden 1986
A small booklet packed with information.

[147] ? A Barefoot Doctors Manual. Running Press ISBN 0-914294-92-X
A very readable herbal from China, combining some modern methods with traditional chinese methods.

[164] Bird. R. (Editor) Growing from Seed. Volume 4. Thompson and Morgan. 1990
Very readable magazine with lots of information on propagation. A good article on Yuccas, one on Sagebrush (Artemesia spp) and another on Chaerophyllum bulbosum.

[174] Kariyone. T. Atlas of Medicinal Plants.
A good Japanese herbal.

[176] Yeung. Him-Che. Handbook of Chinese Herbs and Formulas. Institute of Chinese Medicine, Los Angeles 1985
A very good Chinese herbal.

[177] Kunkel. G. Plants for Human Consumption. Koeltz Scientific Books 1984 ISBN 3874292169
An excellent book for the dedicated. A comprehensive listing of latin names with a brief list of edible parts.

[178] Stuart. Rev. G. A. Chinese Materia Medica. Taipei. Southern Materials Centre
A translation of an ancient Chinese herbal. Fascinating.

[179] Reid. B. E. Famine Foods of the Chiu-Huang Pen-ts'ao. Taipei. Southern Materials Centre 1977
A translation of an ancient Chinese book on edible wild foods. Fascinating.

[188] Brickell. C. The RHS Gardener's Encyclopedia of Plants and Flowers Dorling Kindersley Publishers Ltd. 1990 ISBN 0-86318-386-7
Excellent range of photographs, some cultivation details but very little information on plant uses.

[200] Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. 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.

[218] Duke. J. A. and Ayensu. E. S. Medicinal Plants of China Reference Publications, Inc. 1985 ISBN 0-917256-20-4
Details of over 1,200 medicinal plants of China and brief details of their uses. Often includes an analysis, or at least a list of constituents. Heavy going if you are not into the subject.

[219] Grey-Wilson. C. & Matthews. V. Gardening on Walls Collins 1983 ISBN 0-00-219220-0
A nice little book about plants for growing against walls and a small section on plants that can grow in walls.

[238] Bown. D. Encyclopaedia of Herbs and their Uses. Dorling Kindersley, London. 1995 ISBN 0-7513-020-31
A very well presented and informative book on herbs from around the globe. Plenty in it for both the casual reader and the serious student. Just one main quibble is the silly way of having two separate entries for each plant.

[254] Chevallier. A. The Encyclopedia of Medicinal Plants Dorling Kindersley. London 1996 ISBN 9-780751-303148
An excellent guide to over 500 of the more well known medicinal herbs from around the world.

[266] Flora of China 1994
On-line version of the Flora - an excellent resource giving basic info on habitat and some uses.

Readers Comments

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