Named varieties of cornelian cherry dogwood differ in winter-chill needs, ripening time, hardiness, and whether they set fruit on their own — pick one that fits your climate.
Pioneer · Lukianovskyi;Pioneer TM
Partly self-fertileRipensLate August to early SeptemberZones4-8SizePear-shaped, up to 1.5 inches long
Dark red, juicy, sweet and aromatic, somewhere between a cherry and a wild plum; very soft at full ripeness — Hardy to about -30F and bearing 2 to 3 years after planting. Wisconsin's uncommon fruit trials carried Pioneer and Elegant furthest, rating Pioneer slightly earlier, darker red, sweeter and much softer when dead ripe. The softness is the trade-off: it is a superb fresh-eating and syrup fruit that does not travel or hold.
Where to buy ‘Pioneer’
Story Thyme Farms may earn a small commission from these links, at no cost to you — it never changes what we recommend.
Elegant · Elehantnyi;Elegant TM
Partly self-fertileRipensLate summerZones4-8SizeLong pear-shaped, about 1.5 inches
Bright red, somewhat tart, and firmer than Pioneer — One of the two cultivars taken furthest in the University of Wisconsin uncommon fruit trials, which rated it more bright red, somewhat tart and not as soft as Pioneer; nurseries selling it report heavy crops, though the trial itself published no yield figures. Because it stays firm and tart rather than collapsing sweet, it is the easier of the pair to pick, handle, and cook down into preserves. Pairs naturally with Pioneer as the cross-pollination partner.
Where to buy ‘Elegant’
Story Thyme Farms may earn a small commission from these links, at no cost to you — it never changes what we recommend.
Redstone
Partly self-fertileRipensEarliest of the cornelian cherriesZones5-7SizeMedium fruit on a dwarf plant, roughly 7 feet tall by 5 feet wide
Balanced sweet-tart — Bred by the USDA for yield and cold hardiness. Grown beside a dozen other cornelian cherry cultivars it proved both the latest to bloom and the earliest to ripen, which is the combination you want where late spring frosts are the real risk. Yields still climb sharply with another cultivar or seedling planted nearby.
Where to buy ‘Redstone’
Story Thyme Farms may earn a small commission from these links, at no cost to you — it never changes what we recommend.
Red Star · Vydubetskyi;Red Star TM
Partly self-fertileRipensLate seasonZones4-8SizeExceptionally large
Glossy dark red and tasty — A very productive variety carrying unusually large, glossy, dark red fruit, and hardy to about -30F. Penn State Extension lists it among the cultivars selected for fruit rather than for ornament, which is the distinction that matters when you are shopping this species.
Where to buy ‘Red Star’
Story Thyme Farms may earn a small commission from these links, at no cost to you — it never changes what we recommend.
Golden Glory
Partly self-fertileRipensLate summerZones4-8SizeUpright plant, 15 to 20 feet tall and wide
Tart, best after it falls — Named by Minnesota Extension as a climate-resilient landscape tree, tolerant of drought, floods and road salts, and carrying both attractive flowers and edible fruit useful to wildlife and the kitchen. Virginia Extension rates it upright, heavy flowering and cold hardy. Reports on this species and salt do conflict, so do not bet a streetside planting on the salt tolerance alone.
Where to buy ‘Golden Glory’
Story Thyme Farms may earn a small commission from these links, at no cost to you — it never changes what we recommend.
Svitlana · Svitlana TM;U-26
Partly self-fertileRipensLate August to early SeptemberZones4-8SizeLarge
Very sweet and flavorful, dark red — A selection from the Kyiv Botanic Garden that bears good crops of large, dark red fruit and ripens early for the species, on a plant hardy to about -30F and bearing 2 to 3 years after planting. A good second cultivar where you want the pollination partner to also be worth eating fresh.
Where to buy ‘Svitlana’
Story Thyme Farms may earn a small commission from these links, at no cost to you — it never changes what we recommend.
Sunrise · Sunrise TM;Marina
Partly self-fertileRipensLate August to early SeptemberZones4-8SizeResembles a small Japanese plum, over 1 inch long
Pinkish-red skin with red stripes; sweet and flavorful, good fresh and for preserves — The odd one visually - striped pinkish-red skin rather than the usual solid dark red, on a plant hardy to about -30F. Worth it if you want something that does not read as a cherry at all on the plate.
Where to buy ‘Sunrise’
Story Thyme Farms may earn a small commission from these links, at no cost to you — it never changes what we recommend.
Exotica · Exotica TM
Partly self-fertileRipensLate summerZones4-8SizeVery large
Dark red, sweet and delicious — Selected for very large, sweet, dark red fruit on an ornamental plant hardy to about -30F. Sold as disease-resistant, though this species is already largely trouble-free, so treat that as a minor point rather than a reason to choose it.
Where to buy ‘Exotica’
Story Thyme Farms may earn a small commission from these links, at no cost to you — it never changes what we recommend.
Apple
Peach
Plum
Pluot