Cornus mas Cultivars A-G

'Ak-Zogal'

Developed by the Azerbaijan Institute of Genetics and Selection (Klimenko 2004).

Alba Group

A white-fruited variety from France was mentioned by Duhamel (1755), since lost to cultivation, though white forms can still be found in Austria (Borroto Fernandez et al. 2023).

'Alyosha'

An early-ripening yellow-fruited variety discovered in 1996 in Murovani Kurylyvtsi, Vinnytsia, Ukraine and vegetatively propagated at the National Botanic Garden, Kyiv (Klymenko & Ilyinska 2023).

Early-ripening fruits of Cornus mas 'Alyosha' ('Альоша'). Image Svetlana Klymenko.

'Armudi-Zogal'

Developed by the Azerbaijan Institute of Genetics and Selection (Klimenko 2004).

'Aurea'

A selection with gold-green foliage. Where scorching is a risk, it will be better grown in medium shade, where the fresh yellow-green colour may be even more pleasing. Found to be prone to leaf spot in dry conditions (Cappiello & Shadow 2005).

A luxuriant 8 m specimen of Cornus mas 'Aurea' at Briggens, Hertfordshire (21 June 2014). Image Owen Johnson.

The spring flush of Cornus mas 'Aurea' is very bright (Thorp Perrow Arboretum, North Yorkshire, UK, May 2023). Image John Grimshaw.

Cornus mas 'Aurea' glowing in spring sunshine at Cherry Tree Arboretum, Shropshire, UK. 1 May 2026. Image Tom Christian.

Cornus mas 'Aurea' flowering at RHS Garden Hyde Hall (March 2022). At this stage it is indistinguishable from any other Cornus mas! Image John Grimshaw.

Foliage on Cornus mas 'Aurea' at Cherry Tree Arboretum, Shropshire, UK. 1 May 2026. Image Tom Christian.

'Aurea Elegantissima'

Variegated leaves with a green central blaze and a wide irregular border of yellow and pink, the pattern and disposition of the colours is variable within a single plant, and over the season. This striking form, originally seed-raised in 1869, delighted Victorian gardeners when it was introduced by John and Charles Lee of Hammersmith in 1872, the ‘rich and varied tints’ […] hardly inferior to those of the best variegated Crotons’ – a compliment of sorts (Johnson 1872; Moore 1897). The shrub is semipendulous in habit. Early reports emphasised the seasonal change in colouring, ‘the variegation golden in the early part of the sumer, and […] suffused with brightest carmine in July’ (Moore 1877).

The Lees’ clone was distributed across Europe: a German journal reported its being at first ‘rather rare, and expensive, but beautiful!’ (Otto 1879); in Belgium the same year plants were being offered at 5–10 francs each, five times the price of less exotic ornamentals (Jacob-Makoy & Cie. 1879). Not distinguishable in practice from ‘Tricolor’ – a more intuitive name for this form, which surfaces in 1893, and may refer to the same clone. Said to be practically sterile (Gayraud 2013); best grown in shade (Cappiello & Shadow 2005).

Some modern plants grown under the name show a rather undistinguished, mottled type variegation that does not match the original description of the Lee clone, possibly due to reversion, or confusion with another, inferior garden variety.

Cornus mas 'Elegantissima' – an extraordinary confection of colours (Castle Howard, North Yorkshire, July 2021). Image John Grimshaw.

Cornus mas 'Elegantissima' (Castle Howard, North Yorkshire, July 2021) Image John Grimshaw.

Plate of Cornus mas 'Aurea Elegantissima' selected by John and Charles Lee, Hammersmith. Florist and Pomologist May 1877 Image Internet Archive.

Cornus mas 'Aurea Elegantissima' is evidently a very unstable plant, capable of producing different types of foliage on different shoots (Newby Hall, North Yorkshire, UK, 4 June 2026). Image John Grimshaw.

A particularly richly-coloured shoot of Cornus mas 'Aurea Elegantissima' with some leaves approaching the colour and pattern seen in the early illustration (Newby Hall, North Yorkshire, UK, 4 June 2026). Image John Grimshaw.

'Bo 2034'

Dark crimson fruits, ripening at the end of August; introduced by the Fruit Research Breeding Institute, Bojnice, Slovakia (Pirc 2015). Protected by German PBR (1999).

'Bo 20345

Dark-red fruits, ripening at the end of September; introduced by the Fruit Research Breeding Institute, Bojnice, Slovakia (Pirc 2015). Protected by German PBR (1999).

'Bolestraszycki'

Large, bottle-shaped, dark-red fruits, ripening in September–early October; introduced by Bolestraszyce Arboretum, Poland (Pirc 2015).

'Bukowiński'

Yellow-fruited, cylindrical fruit, ripening in mid August; a weak grower (Pirc 2015).

'Bulgarien'

Large-fruited, resembling ‘Jolico’ but earlier ripening (mid-late August) (Pirc 2015).

'Corallovyi'

Vigorous, orange-fruited hybrid, ripening mid August to mid September (Pirc 2015).

'Cornello Castle'

Large fruited, ripening in mid September; from Häberli, Switzerland (Pirc 2015).

'Cornmas'

An early-ripening (mid August) Danish selection (Pirc 2015).

'Devin'

Moderately vigorous; the fruits tart, dark-red when ripe (mid-end September); introduced by the Fruit Research Breeding Institute, Bojnice, Slovakia (Pirc 2015; Klimenko 2004).

'Dublany'

Moderately vigorous with broadly pear-shaped, dark-red fruits, high in sugar and vitamin C, ripening mid–end August; introduced by Bolestraszyce Arboretum, Poland (Pirc 2015).

'Elegantny'

Large, ‘bottle-shaped’, elongated dark-red fruits, ripening in mid August and remaining on the tree; described as rather weakly growing; a Ukrainian selection from the Kiev National Academy of Sciences and National Botanic Garden (Pirc 2015).

'Elena'

Moderately vigorous hybrid with round to oval fruits, sweet or acidic-sweet and ripening in mid August; exceptionally cold-hardy, having fruited in 1997 after –35°C the previous winter (Pirc 2015).

'Exoticheskiy'

Extremely large, blackish-red, bottle-shaped fruits, ripening at the beginning of September; originated as a sport of ‘Swetlyachok’ (Pirc 2015).

The fruits of Cornus mas 'Exoticheskiy' ('Екзотичний') are large and deeply coloured. Image Svetlana Klymenko.

Detail of fruit stone of Cornus mas 'Exoticheskiy' ('Екзотичний'). Image Svetlana Klymenko.

'Golden Glory'

Upright, fast-growing and floriferous, with deep-green foliage and large fruits, considered one of the best cultivars for general use; introduced by Synnesvedt Nursery, Glenview, Illinois (Buffin 2005; Cappiello & Shadow 2005; Gayraud 2013).

'Grenader'

A hybrid resembling ‘Vidubetskiy’ in appearance, the fruits oval to cylindrical and dark-red, ripening at the beginning of August; the fruit can be eaten raw (Pirc 2015).