Cornus Mas

Scientific description

Phylum: Angiospermatophyta (Magnoliophyta)
Class: Dicotyledonatae (Magnoliatae)
Subclass: Rosidae
Order: Cornales
Family: Cornaceae
Origin: Europe, Asia, the temperate zone of the northern hemisphere; Ponto-Mediterranean floristic element.

Description:
It is a shrub that can reach up to 8 m in height, with bark exfoliating in scales, red-purple, finely hairy, with a rare, bright crown. It has ovate-elliptical, acuminate, short-petiolate leaves, with 3-6 pairs of curved, pubescent lateral veins; in autumn they turn red. The yellow flowers are grouped in umbelliform, small, sessile cymes, surrounded by an involucre formed by 4 round bracts. It blooms in the spring long before the foliage.
Fruits: red or purple drupes, ripen in August-September and are edible, being used to make jam.

Propagation: By seed (August-September), cuttings or marcotage.

Ecology:
Spontaneous species growing in deciduous forests, prefers shady places with fertile humic soil and moderate humidity.

Use:
In parks and gardens, isolated or in groups, as an ornamental species; fruits edible.

Creative writing inspired by Cornus Mas

Written by Andreea Tote

The Legend of the Cornelian Cherry

Long ago, in the lands that stretched between Greece and the Balkans, there was a tree whose blossoms marked the arrival of spring long before other flowers dared to bloom. The Cornus mas, or Cornelian cherry, stood as a silent witness to the changing seasons, its tiny yellow flowers appearing as early as February, its leaves still a dream in the distance. These delicate, sun-kissed blossoms covered the bare wood directly, making the tree a sight to behold against the backdrop of a still-winter landscape. As time passed, its fruits—small, red, and edible—would ripen, offering a tart, sweet taste, used to create jams, syrups, and refreshing drinks.

The people of ancient Greece knew the tree well, for its wood was revered for its strength and resilience. Legends whispered that even the Trojan Horse and the mighty bow of Odysseus were crafted from the sturdy branches of the Cornus mas. Homer himself spoke of the tree in his epics, and one legend, in particular, would forever intertwine the tree with both loss and immortality.

Polydorus, son of the King of Troy, met a tragic end in battle. It was said that he was killed with spears made of Cornus mas wood. Where his blood touched the earth, a Cornelian tree grew in his memory. Centuries later, as Aeneas fled the burning city of Troy, he sought shelter and firewood, unaware of the significance of the land beneath his feet. When he broke a branch of the tree, blood spilled, and the spirit of Polydorus appeared, tying the Cornus mas not only to human life but to the divine presence that watched over the souls of the fallen.

In the heart of Roman mythology, the Cornelian cherry was seen as a symbol of strength and destiny. Romulus, the legendary founder of Rome, stood on the heights of Mount Aventine, watching over his fledgling city. With a mighty throw, he hurled a spear into the earth, and where it struck, a Cornus mas tree took root, a living testament to the resilience of Rome itself. From that moment on, the tree was intertwined with the spirit of the city—strong, steadfast, and ever-growing.

The Cornus mas also earned favor with Philip II of Macedonia, father of the great Alexander the Great. Recognizing the strength of the wood, Philip equipped his warriors with weapons made from its dense branches—bows, lances, and arrows. These weapons, he believed, would lead his army to victory. Indeed, for centuries, the wood of the Cornus mas became an essential tool in the art of warfare.

But the Cornus mas was not merely a symbol of battle and conquest. In the Balkans, its fruits and wood were steeped in love and devotion. One such tale tells of a young man who, in his quest to win the heart of his beloved, journeyed deep into the forest to find a rare fruit—the shining red cornites. He returned to her, presenting the fruit as a token of his love, and she, moved by his dedication, accepted his hand in marriage. From that moment on, the tree became a symbol of devotion and heartfelt gifts, planted near homes to protect against misfortune and bring luck, especially at the start of a new year.

Though once believed to be poisonous, the Cornus mas is now recognized for its medicinal value, with its fruits offering a healing touch. And though the tree may still be seen as a lucky charm for those who seek it out, its true magic lies not only in its strength or its gifts, but in the way it has captured the hearts and imaginations of all who have known its story.

From ancient Greece to the forests of the Balkans, the Cornus mas stands as a symbol of resilience, love, and the eternal cycle of life—a tree that blooms not only in spring but in the hearts of those who believe in the strength of legend.

Legenda Cireșului Cornelian

Demult, în țările care se întindeau între Grecia și Balcani, exista un copac a cărui înflorire marca sosirea primăverii mult înainte ca alte flori să îndrăznească să înflorească. Cornus mas, sau cireșul cornelian, stătea tăcut martor al schimbării anotimpurilor, florile sale mici și galbene apărând încă din februarie, iar frunzele abia visând la venirea lor. Aceste delicate flori, îmbăiate în razele soarelui, acopereau lemnul gol direct, făcând copacul un spectacol de neuitat pe fundalul unui peisaj încă de iarnă. Pe măsură ce timpul trecea, fructele sale — mici, roșii și comestibile — se coceau, oferind un gust acru-dulce, folosit la prepararea gemurilor, siropurilor și băuturilor răcoritoare.

Oamenii din Grecia Antică cunoșteau bine acest copac, căci lemnul său era apreciat pentru rezistența și tăria sa. Legendele șopteau că chiar și Calul Troian și celebrul arc al lui Ulise au fost făcute din ramurile robuste ale Cornus mas. Homer însuși pomenea acest copac în epicoarele sale, iar o legendă, în mod deosebit, avea să lege pentru totdeauna acest copac de atât pierdere, cât și nemurire.

Polydorus, fiul regelui Troiei, și-a găsit o moarte tragică în bătălie. Se spunea că el a fost ucis cu sulițe făcute din lemn de Cornus mas. Acolo unde sângele său a atins pământul, a crescut un copac Cornelian. Multe secole mai târziu, când Enea fugea din cetatea mistuită de flăcări, a căutat adăpost și lemne de foc, fără să știe de semnificația locului pe care călca. Când a rupt o ramură din copac, sângele a curs, iar spiritul lui Polydorus a apărut, legând Cornus mas nu doar de viața omenească, ci și de prezența divină care privea asupra sufletelor celor căzuți.

În inima mitologiei romane, cireșul cornelian era văzut ca un simbol al tăriei și destinului. Romulus, legendarul întemeietor al Romei, stătea pe înălțimile Muntelui Aventin, privind asupra orașului său în formare. Cu o aruncătură puternică, a aruncat o suliță în pământ, iar acolo unde a lovit, a crescut un copac Cornus mas, un simbol viu al rezistenței Romei însăși. De atunci, copacul a fost legat de spiritul orașului—puternic, neclintit și mereu în creștere.

Cornus mas a câștigat, de asemenea, favorurile lui Filip al II-lea al Macedoniei, tatăl marelui Alexandru cel Mare. Recunoscând tăria lemnului său, Filip a echipat războinicii săi cu arme făcute din ramurile sale dense—arcuri, lance și săgeți. Aceste arme, credea el, aveau să conducă armata sa spre victorie. De fapt, timp de secole, lemnul de Cornus mas a devenit un instrument esențial în arta războiului.

Însă Cornus mas nu era doar un simbol al bătăliei și cuceririi. În Balcani, fructele și lemnul său erau învăluite în iubire și devoțiune. O astfel de poveste spune că un tânăr, în dorința de a câștiga inima iubitei sale, a călătorit adânc în pădure pentru a găsi un fruct rar—strălucitoarele cornite roșii. S-a întors la ea, prezentându-i fructul ca un simbol al dragostei sale, iar ea, mișcată de efortul lui, i-a acceptat mâna. Din acea clipă, copacul a devenit un simbol al devoțiunii și al darurilor din inimă, fiind plantat lângă case pentru a proteja împotriva nenorocirii și pentru a aduce noroc, mai ales la începutul unui an nou.

Deși odată se credea că este otrăvitor, Cornus mas este acum recunoscut pentru valoarea sa medicinală, iar fructele sale oferă un remediu vindecător. Și deși copacul poate fi încă văzut ca un talisman norocos pentru cei care îl caută, adevărata sa magie nu constă doar în tăria sa sau în darurile sale, ci în felul în care a capturat inimile și imaginațiile tuturor celor care au cunoscut povestea sa.

De la Grecia Antică până în pădurile Balcanilor, Cornus mas rămâne un simbol al rezilienței, iubirii și al ciclului veșnic al vieții—un copac care înflorește nu doar primăvara, ci și în inimile celor care cred în tăria legendei.

Ο θρύλος του κερασιού της Κορνεόλης

Πριν από πολύ καιρό, στις χώρες που εκτείνονταν ανάμεσα στην Ελλάδα και τα Βαλκάνια, υπήρχε ένα δέντρο του οποίου τα άνθη σηματοδοτούσαν την άφιξη της άνοιξης πολύ πριν τολμήσουν να ανθίσουν άλλα λουλούδια. Η κερασιά Cornus mas , ή αλλιώς κόρα, στεκόταν ως σιωπηλός μάρτυρας των αλλαγών των εποχών, με τα μικροσκοπικά κίτρινα άνθη της να εμφανίζονται ήδη από τον Φεβρουάριο, με τα φύλλα της να παραμένουν ένα όνειρο. Αυτά τα ντελικάτα, ηλιοκαμένα άνθη κάλυπταν απευθείας το γυμνό ξύλο, καθιστώντας το δέντρο ένα θέαμα που άξιζε να το δει κανείς με φόντο ένα ακόμα χειμωνιάτικο τοπίο. Με την πάροδο του χρόνου, οι καρποί της -μικροί, κόκκινοι και βρώσιμοι- ωρίμαζαν, προσφέροντας μια ξινή, γλυκιά γεύση, που χρησιμοποιούνταν για την παρασκευή μαρμελάδων, σιροπιών και δροσιστικών ποτών.

Οι αρχαίοι Έλληνες γνώριζαν καλά το δέντρο, επειδή το ξύλο του ήταν σεβαστό για τη δύναμη και την ανθεκτικότητά του. Οι θρύλοι ψιθύριζαν ότι ακόμη και ο Δούρειος Ίππος και το πανίσχυρο τόξο του Οδυσσέα ήταν κατασκευασμένα από τα γερά κλαδιά του Cornus mas . Ο ίδιος ο Όμηρος μίλησε για το δέντρο στα έπη του, και ένας θρύλος , ειδικότερα, θα συνέδεε για πάντα το δέντρο με την απώλεια και την αθανασία.

Ο Πολύδωρος, γιος του βασιλιά της Τροίας, είχε τραγικό τέλος στη μάχη. Λέγεται ότι σκοτώθηκε με λόγχες φτιαγμένες από ξύλο Cornus mas . Εκεί που το αίμα του άγγιξε τη γη, ένα κορνεϊκό δέντρο φύτρωσε στη μνήμη του. Αιώνες αργότερα, καθώς ο Αινείας έφευγε από την φλεγόμενη πόλη της Τροίας, αναζήτησε καταφύγιο και καυσόξυλα, αγνοώντας τη σημασία της γης κάτω από τα πόδια του. Όταν έσπασε ένα κλαδί του δέντρου, χύθηκε αίμα και εμφανίστηκε το πνεύμα του Πολύδωρου, συνδέοντας τον Cornus mas όχι μόνο με την ανθρώπινη ζωή αλλά και με τη θεϊκή παρουσία που παρακολουθούσε τις ψυχές των πεσόντων.

Στην καρδιά της ρωμαϊκής μυθολογίας, το κεράσι της Κορνεόλης θεωρούνταν σύμβολο δύναμης και πεπρωμένου. Ο Ρωμύλος, ο θρυλικός ιδρυτής της Ρώμης, στεκόταν στα ύψη του όρους Αβεντίνος, παρακολουθώντας την νεοσύστατη πόλη του. Με μια δυνατή βολή, έριξε ένα δόρυ στη γη και εκεί που το χτύπησε, ρίζωσε ένα δέντρο Cornus mas , μια ζωντανή απόδειξη της ανθεκτικότητας της ίδιας της Ρώμης. Από εκείνη τη στιγμή και μετά, το δέντρο ήταν συνυφασμένο με το πνεύμα της πόλης - δυνατό, ακλόνητο και συνεχώς αναπτυσσόμενο.

Το ξύλο Cornus mas κέρδισε επίσης την εύνοια του Φιλίππου Β΄ της Μακεδονίας, πατέρα του μεγάλου Μεγάλου Αλεξάνδρου. Αναγνωρίζοντας την αντοχή του ξύλου, ο Φίλιππος εξόπλισε τους πολεμιστές του με όπλα φτιαγμένα από τα πυκνά κλαδιά του - τόξα, λόγχες και βέλη. Αυτά τα όπλα, πίστευε, θα οδηγούσαν τον στρατό του στη νίκη. Πράγματι, για αιώνες, το ξύλο του Cornus mas έγινε ένα απαραίτητο εργαλείο στην τέχνη του πολέμου.

Αλλά το Cornus mas δεν ήταν απλώς ένα σύμβολο μάχης και κατάκτησης. Στα Βαλκάνια, οι καρποί και το ξύλο του ήταν βουτηγμένα στην αγάπη και την αφοσίωση. Μια τέτοια ιστορία αφηγείται έναν νεαρό άνδρα που, στην προσπάθειά του να κερδίσει την καρδιά της αγαπημένης του, ταξίδεψε βαθιά στο δάσος για να βρει ένα σπάνιο φρούτο - τους λαμπερούς κόκκινους κορνίτες. Επέστρεψε σε αυτήν, παρουσιάζοντάς της τον καρπό ως ένδειξη της αγάπης του, και εκείνη, συγκινημένη από την αφοσίωσή του, δέχτηκε το χέρι του σε γάμο. Από εκείνη τη στιγμή και μετά, το δέντρο έγινε σύμβολο αφοσίωσης και εγκάρδιων δώρων, φυτεμένο κοντά σε σπίτια για να προστατεύει από την ατυχία και να φέρνει τύχη, ειδικά στην αρχή μιας νέας χρονιάς.

Αν και κάποτε πιστευόταν ότι ήταν δηλητηριώδες, το Cornus mas είναι πλέον αναγνωρισμένο για την φαρμακευτική του αξία, με τους καρπούς του να προσφέρουν μια θεραπευτική πινελιά. Και παρόλο που το δέντρο μπορεί ακόμα να θεωρείται γούρι για όσους το αναζητούν, η αληθινή του μαγεία δεν έγκειται μόνο στη δύναμή του ή στα χαρίσματά του, αλλά και στον τρόπο με τον οποίο έχει αιχμαλωτίσει τις καρδιές και τη φαντασία όλων όσων έχουν γνωρίσει την ιστορία του.

Από την αρχαία Ελλάδα μέχρι τα δάση των Βαλκανίων, το Cornus mas αποτελεί σύμβολο ανθεκτικότητας, αγάπης και του αιώνιου κύκλου της ζωής—ένα δέντρο που ανθίζει όχι μόνο την άνοιξη αλλά και στις καρδιές όσων πιστεύουν στη δύναμη του θρύλου.

La légende de la cerise Cornelian

Il y a longtemps, dans les terres qui s’étendaient entre la Grèce et les Balkans, il y avait un arbre dont les fleurs marquaient l’arrivée du printemps bien avant que d’autres fleurs n’osent fleurir. Le Cornus mas, ou cerisier cornélien, se tenait comme un témoin silencieux des changements de saisons, ses minuscules fleurs jaunes apparaissant dès février, son feuillage laisse encore un rêve au loin. Ces délicates fleurs baignées de soleil couvraient directement le bois nu, faisant de l’arbre un spectacle à voir dans un paysage encore hivernal. Au fil du temps, ses fruits — petits, rouges et comestibles — mûrissaient, offrant un goût acidulé et sucré, utilisé pour créer des confitures, des sirops et des boissons rafraîchissantes.

Le peuple de la Grèce antique connaissait bien l’arbre, car son bois était vénéré pour sa force et sa résilience. Les légendes chuchotaient que même le cheval de Troie et l’arc puissant d’Ulysse étaient fabriqués à partir des branches robustes du Cornus mas. Homer lui-même a parlé de l’arbre dans ses épopées, et une légende, en particulier, allait à jamais entrelacer l’arbre avec la perte et l’immortalité.

Polydore, fils du roi de Troie, a connu une fin tragique au combat. On dit qu’il a été tué avec des lances en bois de Cornus mas. Là où son sang a touché la terre, un arbre de corneille a poussé dans sa mémoire. Des siècles plus tard, alors qu'Enée fuyait la ville brûlante de Troie, il chercha un abri et du bois de chauffage, ignorant l’importance de la terre sous ses pieds. Quand il a cassé une branche de l’arbre, du sang a été versé et l’esprit de Polydore est apparu, liant le Cornus mas non seulement à la vie humaine mais à la présence divine qui veillait sur les âmes des déchus.

Au cœur de la mythologie romaine, la cerise cornouillère était considérée comme un symbole de force et de destin. Romulus, le légendaire fondateur de Rome, se tenait sur les hauteurs du mont Aventin, veillant sur sa jeune ville. Avec un puissant jet, il a lancé une lance dans la terre et, là où elle a frappé, un arbre de Cornus mas a pris racine, témoignage vivant de la résilience de Rome elle-même. À partir de ce moment-là, l’arbre s’est mêlé à l’esprit de la ville : fort, inébranlable et toujours grandissant.

Le Cornus mas a également gagné la faveur de Philippe II de Macédoine, père du grand Alexandre le Grand. Reconnaissant la force du bois, Philippe a équipé ses guerriers d’armes faites de ses branches denses : arcs, lances et flèches. Ces armes, croyait-il, mèneraient son armée à la victoire. En effet, pendant des siècles, le bois du Cornus mas est devenu un outil essentiel dans l’art de la guerre.

Mais le Cornus mas n’était pas seulement un symbole de bataille et de conquête. Dans les Balkans, ses fruits et son bois étaient imprégnés d’amour et de dévotion. L’une de ces histoires raconte qu’un jeune homme, cherchant à gagner le cœur de sa bien-aimée, s’enfonça dans la forêt pour trouver un fruit rare : les cornites rouges brillantes. Il retourna vers elle, lui présentant le fruit comme gage de son amour, et elle, émue par sa consécration, accepta sa main en mariage. A partir de ce moment, l’arbre est devenu un symbole de dévotion et de cadeaux sincères, plantés près des maisons pour protéger contre le malheur et apporter la chance, surtout au début d’une nouvelle année.

Autrefois considéré comme toxique, le Cornus mas est aujourd’hui reconnu pour sa valeur médicinale, ses fruits offrant une touche de guérison. Et bien que l’arbre puisse encore être considéré comme un porte-bonheur pour ceux qui le cherchent, sa véritable magie réside non seulement dans sa force ou ses dons, mais dans la façon dont il a capturé les cœurs et les imaginations de tous ceux qui ont connu son histoire.

De la Grèce antique aux forêts des Balkans, le Cornus mas est un symbole de résilience, d’amour et du cycle éternel de la vie – un arbre qui fleurit non seulement au printemps mais dans le cœur de ceux qui croient en la force de la légende.

3D Interactive View

▶

Cornus Mas

Scientific description

Creative writing inspired by Cornus Mas

3D Interactive View

Authentic Specimen

Home

About

Partners

Blog