Bentham's Cornel

Medicinal Uses

Edible Uses

Edible Parts: Fruit | Edible Uses: Fruit - raw or cooked. A bitter-sweet flavour[2, 105, 183], tasting like an over-ripe banana[166]. The fruit can also be used in preserves[51, 146]. The fruit is about 25mm in diameter[200], it is fleshy with a number of seeds and a tough slightly bitter skin[K]. Our experience is that some trees can produce quite pleasant tasting fruits, but many others produce fruit with a distinct and unpleasant bitterness[K]. The fruit ripens in late autumn to early winter and will fail to ripe properly if the weather is very cold[K].

Cultivation

An easily grown plant, it succeeds in any soil of good or moderate fertility[1], ranging from acid to shallow chalk[200]. Grows well in heavy clay soils. Succeeds in full sun or light shade[[188]. Prefers semi-shade[219]. This species is hardy to between -5 and -10°c[184], it grows very well in S.W. England, self-sowing and fruiting prolifically in Cornish woodland gardens[11, 49, 59, , 104, 182] and doing well by the coast where it tolerates sea winds[182]. Plants are not hardy in the London area, being killed even when on a south-facing wall[11]. Another report says that it succeeds as far north as Edinburgh. Squirrels are very fond of this fruit[166]. This species has been known to hybridize with C. kousa, the cultivar 'Norman Hadden' could be such a hybrid[182]. Plants in this genus are notably resistant to honey fungus[200].

Known Hazards

None known

Habitats

Forests and shrubberies to 3400 metres in the Himalayas[51]. Moist hillsides at elevations of 1700 - 2600 metres in Nepal[272]. Evergreen and mixed forests, 1000 - 3200 metres[266].