The cornelian cherry is one of the trees that you can safely plant in the garden as a single shrub or hedge. The plant is not poisonous. The fruits can be made into jam, juice or liqueur and can even be eaten raw.
Are cornelian cherries poisonous to people and animals?
Cornelian cherries are completely non-toxic to humans and animals. The fruits can be eaten raw or cooked and made into jam, juice, liqueur and other dishes. They are also attractive and nutritious to bees and birds.
Cornelian cherries are not poisonous
Cornelian cherries are the ideal trees for the garden if you have children or pets. The tree is completely non-toxic.
Although the fruits can be eaten raw, they have such a tart taste that they are better served cooked.
Only the ripe, almost black fruits taste sweet, fruity and can also be eaten raw.
Use in the kitchen
In times of need, the non-poisonous fruits of the cornelian cherry were often used to make jam and juice. Since more and more people are turning to the old wild fruits, cornelian cherries are now being processed more frequently again.
Various dishes and drinks can be made from the fruits:
- Jam
- Juice
- Liqueur
- Candies
- Wild game compote
- Chutney
Wild game compote made from cranberries and cornelian cherries goes very well with game and fish dishes.
Popular with bees and many types of birds
The cornelian cherry attracts bees and bumblebees not only because of its early flowering in spring. Hedgehogs and many birds also love the fruits that ripen in late summer.
15 different species of birds feed on the cornelian cherry. For nature-loving gardeners, a cornelian cherry or a whole cornelian hedge is the best way to do something good for the animals in the garden.
Tip
The name cornelian cherry is misleading. The fruit tree belongs to the dogwood family. The fruits are not cherries, they just look very similar to them. However, they are much smaller than the normal cherries grown in the garden.
