Effect:
astringent, antipyretic, emetic
Areas of application:
fever, poisoning
Parts of the plant used:
bark, leaves, fruit
Collection time:
May to September
Can be found:
In hedges and shrub areas, less frequently in species-rich forests.
Ingredients:
flavone glycoside, gallic acid, ellagic acid, salicylic acid, calcium carbonate, verbenaline, anthocyanin complex
Other:
In Central Europe, Common Dogwood forms 3 to 4 meter high, wide and densely packed, summer green shrubs. In Southern Europe, red dogwood can also grow tree-like and then reach heights of 6 meters. The trichomes are unbranched or usually two-branched. The wood is tough and difficult to split with scattered pores. Unlike other dogwood species, the sapwood and heartwood are the same reddish-white color. Older trunks have a scaly bark. The bark of one-year-old branches is short-haired and bright red to brown-red in color. The red color is caused by anthocyanin accumulation and is characteristic of this species. The bark of two-year-old branches is olive-brown and bare. Both the flower and leaf buds are elongated and up to 6 millimeters long. They have no bud scales; instead, they are protected by the brown, felty hairy leaves. The buds with the inflorescences appear at the ends of the branches and, in contrast to the leaf buds, are thicker. Unlike the cornelian cherry (Cornus mas), the lateral buds lie on the branch and the tips face the branch. The leaves, which are usually opposite, rarely alternate, on the branches, are divided into a petiole and a leaf blade. The petiole is 8 to 15 millimeters long or is rarely barely visible. The simple, entire leaf blade is broadly elliptical to egg-shaped with a wedge-shaped blade base and a pointed upper end. There are pinnate venation and three to five pairs of clearly raised veins on the underside of the leaf. The upper side of the leaf is dark green and has forked hairs, the underside of the leaf is lighter and has curly hairs, particularly along the leaf veins. Stipules are missing. The axillary or terminal, usually umbellate inflorescence has a diameter of 4 to 8 centimeters and 20 to 50 flowers stand on 2.5 to 3.5 centimeter long flower stalks. The hermaphrodite flowers are radially symmetrical and usually four, rarely five, with a double perianth. The flower cup (hypanthium) is completely fused to the ovary. The usually four very short sepals are, or may be, fused shortly. The usually four free, white petals are 4.5 to 6 millimeters long, linear-lanceolate and hairy on the underside. There is a nectar disc. There is only one circle with usually four free stamens; they are only slightly shorter than the petals and protrude slightly above the style. The anthers open with a longitudinal slit. The inferior ovary is (one to four) usually two-chambered. The simple style ends in two stigmas. The flowering period is from May to June. The black-blue drupes, which are white-dotted when ripe, have a diameter of 5 to 8 millimeters. The drupes contain an oily "pulp" and a spherical, smooth, one- or two-seeded stone core. The fruits ripen in September. The Common Dogwood can live for 30 to 40 years. (Wikipedia)
🛑 The leaf hairs can cause irritation if they come into contact with sensitive areas of the skin. The fruits are inedible raw, but not poisonous. They can be eaten raw. They can potentially cause gastroenteritis in children and sensitive people. Pregnant and nursing mothers should avoid this plant.
Common Dogwood is often used as an ornamental plant, or serves as a bee pasture because of its flowers.
Despite reports to the contrary, the fruits are not poisonous, but are inedible raw. (Plants for a Future) The fruits contain a high proportion of vitamin C and are processed in the kitchen to make fruit juice and jam. The fruits have a bitter taste and can induce vomiting. An oil is extracted from the seeds, which is edible after refining.
The seeds contain oil, which was used for fuel and for making soap. The branches were woven into baskets and the hard, tough and solid wood was used for turning.