Cornus Canadensis 

‘Creeping Dogwood’

[Prov: USA]

Cornaceae: Also, known as Bunchberry, this is a low growing herbaceous perennial to 20cm, with a creeping woody root-stock. It forms an attractive carpet of foliage starred with white flowers which are succeeded by bright edible red fruits. Native to coniferous woods, thickets and damp clearings in peaty soils, of North America.

USES:

The fruit can be eaten raw or cooked, the fruits are rather dry a bit gummy and rather mealy but they have a pleasant slightly sweet flavour, they can be added to breakfast cereals or used for making jams, pies, puddings. They are high in pectin, so it can be used with pectin-low fruits when making jam, pectin is said to protect the body against radiation.

The leaves and stems are analgesic, cathartic and febrifuge, a tea has been used in the treatment of aches and pains, kidney and lung ailments, coughs, fevers, and a strong decoction has been used as an eye wash. The fruits are rich in pectin which is a capillary tonic, antioedemic, anti-inflammatory, and antispasmodic and hypotensive. Pectin also inhibits carcinogenesis and protects against radiation. A tea made from the roots has been used to treat infant colic. The mashed roots have been strained through a clean cloth and the liquid used as an eyewash for sore eyes and to remove foreign objects from the eyes.

GROWING INFORMATION:

Seeds should be cold stratified for 3-4 months and sown as early as possible in the year. Scarification may also help, or a period of warm stratification before the cold stratification. Germination, especially of stored seed, can be very slow, taking 18 months or more. Prick out the seedlings of cold-frame sown seeds into individual pots as soon as they are large enough to handle and grow the plants on for their first winter in a greenhouse, planting out in the spring after the last expected frosts.

Succeeds in any soil of good or moderate fertility, easily grown in a peaty soil in shade or partial shade. Grows well in heavy clay soils, also in sandy soils, preferring damp soil. Not suitable for alkaline soils.

HARVESTED: 2017

APPROX. 20 SEEDS