Growing cornelian cherry
berry / bush fruit
WINTER CHILL NEEDED
~600–1200 hrs
POLLINATION
Partly self-fertile — crops much better with a partner
Pollination
Crops far better with a second variety flowering at the same time.
Growing it
Zones 4-8. A dogwood, not a cherry - bright yellow flowers in late winter and tart red fruit for syrup and preserves. Slow, long-lived and remarkably pest-free.
Will you get enough chill?
Cornelian Cherry needs roughly 600–1200 hours between 32 and 45 °F over winter to break dormancy evenly. Check your area with the chill hours calculator. Low-chill breeding has pushed many varieties well below the figure here, so read the plant tag.
Chill and pollination are given at the fruit-type level; specific cultivars can differ. Values are typical ranges for home-garden planning.