Japanese Cornelian Cherry
Cornus officinalis
サンシュユ
Cornaceae
Cornus officinalis is a deciduous small tree of Chinese / Korean
Edible Wildlife value: high Maintenance: low tree
Planting calendar (Tokyo baseline)
Pick a region in the header to shift the window.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Planting | ||||||||||||
| Flowering | ||||||||||||
| Fruiting |
Tokyo baseline: months 11, 2
Growing requirements
| Light | full sun |
|---|---|
| Water | medium |
| Soil | well-drained loam; pH 5.5–7.0 |
| Hardiness | Tokyo lowland |
| Container | No |
| Maintenance | low |
| Common issues | anthracnose (cosmetic; remove fallen leaves) |
Where to source
Seedlings, divisions, or seed. Native plant suppliers in Japan are the right starting point.
- Search Japanese suppliers for seedlings · native-plant suppliers
About this plant
Cornus officinalis is a deciduous small tree of Chinese / Korean
origin, naturalised in Tokyo gardens since the Edo period when it
was introduced for medicinal use. Bare-branch yellow umbels in late
winter open the gardening year; translucent red drupes follow in
autumn, providing critical late-season food for thrushes and
waxwings. Wants sun and free drainage; otherwise undemanding on
Tokyo lowland soils. A reliable specimen tree.
Usage
Specimen tree, park tree, late-winter focal point. Fruit is good
for cordials and syrups; dried fruit (山茱萸 sansyū) has a
long medicinal pedigree.
Practical info
| Native | No |
|---|---|
| Edible | Yes |
| Edible parts | ripe drupes (cordials, syrups, dried as 山茱萸 yamayushi in traditional medicine) |
| Wildlife value | high |
| Attracts |
|
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Sources
Primary references, publications, and observation data this page draws on. How sources are picked is described in About the data .
- 林野庁 — Cornus officinalis 栽培資料
- Catalog editor (niwa, 2026-05)