About 55 different species of dogwood (Cornus) are known worldwide, most of which grow without any problems in our latitudes and produce numerous fruits in autumn. Only some flowering or flowering dogwoods that come from warmer climates only produce fruit in very warm summers.
Which dogwood berries can you eat?
Dogwood fruits are not edible raw, but some species such as red dogwood, Japanese dogwood and cornelian cherry can be cooked into jams, jellies or liqueurs. They are an important food source for wildlife, but are not suitable for humans.
Which dogwood berries are edible?
Depending on the species, the fruits of the dogwood look small, round and bluish-black (blood-red dogwood) to raspberry-like red (Japanese flower dogwood). All species are equally popular with birds and other wild animals and are important food for them - this is also in the spirit of the dogwood, because in this way the shrub spreads its numerous seeds in the local and wider surroundings. However, none of them can be eaten raw by humans because they are either slightly poisonous if uncooked or not particularly tasty. However, by cooking, the berries of some species can be processed into tasty and edible jams, jellies or even liqueurs. You can also combine the fruits with other fruits. Edible – only when cooked! – are the berries of the
- Red Dogwood
- Japanese Dogwood
- and the cornelian cherry.
Some recipe ideas for amateur chefs who like to try things out
At this point we have put together some simple and definitely worth trying recipes for curious hobby cooks. Have fun cooking!
Cornelian cherry jam
This jam is particularly light:
- Cover 1000 grams of washed cornelian cherries
- just add water and cook thoroughly until soft.
- Pass the fruit through a sieve
- and mix the fruit puree with 500 grams of preserving sugar (in a ratio of 1:1).
- Boil this mixture until it gels after a few minutes.
- Immediately pour into cleaned jars and close.
This jam can also be made from red dogwood berries.
Cornelian cherry apple jelly
This jelly made from cornelian cherry and apple juice is also very tasty, especially on Sunday mornings on breakfast rolls:
- Boil approx. 1000 grams of cornelian cherries in a little water until they are soft.
- Pass the fruit through a sieve and collect the juice.
- Boil 500 milliliters of cherry juice, 250 milliliters of apple juice
- with 1000 grams of preserving sugar (ratio 1:1) and a vanilla stick
- bubbling until the mixture gels.
- Remove the vanilla stick and fill the still hot jelly into screw-top jars.
Tip
Add chopped apples, bananas or peaches to the jams or jellies.
