The University of Dundee’s botanic garden - often described as "Dundee’s hidden gem" - includes over 8,000 different plant species from all around the world. So it’s no surprise there is always something of interest to see no matter the season. Here, the garden’s curator, Alasdair Hood, showcases a different plant every month, revealing some of the fascinating facts and features behind them.
The Cornelian Cherry (scientific name: Cornus mas) has been described as the "harbinger of spring". In March, when other fruit trees are vulnerable to late frosts, this plant - one of the earliest blooming fruit trees - breaks out in an abundance of small yellow flowers on naked branches - perfect for attracting early spring pollinators like the bee and the butterfly.
By autumn, the brilliant green leaves have turned a vibrant red and the tree produces bright red, olive shaped edible fruits which, although rarely used today, were once a popular ingredient in drinks, sweets, jams and general cookery. Early fruits are tart in taste, becoming sweeter the longer they are left on the tree. The plant’s medicinal qualities have been well-recognised for hundreds of years - while the fruit acted as an effective astringent, the bark, shoots and roots were used as a cure for fever.
Today, the Cornelian Cherry is more widely used as an attractive ornamental tree, shrub or hedge in parks and gardens. A hardy plant, it is suitable for almost any soil and position, although positioning it in full sunlight will help to produce plenty of fruit. It grows an average of 1.5ft (45cm) each year to an ultimate height of around 10ft for garden use. To create a hedge, plant shrubs four to six feet apart and trim in spring to a height of up to four to six feet.
The Cornelian Cherry in bloom is a sure sign spring is on the way. The botanic garden’s tree can be found close to the visitors’ entrance, next to the pond.