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Cornelian Cherry Seeds

Cornelian Cherry Seeds - Cornus mas

Cornus mas
  • Hardy to Zone 4
  • Full Sun to Partial Shade
  • Germination Tested Not tested
  • Approximately 20 seeds per packet
$6.95 CAD
$6.95 CAD
Sale Sold out

Cornelian Cherry is a species of dogwood that blooms early in the season and produces tart red fruit that are rich in Vitamin C and great for preserves, syrups and medicinal teas. Plants grow into shrubs or small trees and are just as ornamental as they are useful. Plants should start producing fruit in about four years, which is quick for a fruit tree!

Cornelian Cherry has been used extensively in Europe and Western Asia for thousands of years. It's been used by the ancient Greeks and Romans for food, and the exceptionally hard wood was used for making spears, tools and bowls. It's even mentioned in Homer's Odyssey. 

It's been used for millennia to make jams, jellies, syrups, sorbet, wine and spirits, and has been long recognized as a medicine for treating digestive disorders, fever, strengthening the immune system, and more.

It blooms very early in the season providing an early source of food for pollinators. 

Suitable for zones 4-8, and prefers full sun to part shade.

I harvested these seeds from large, established shrubs on Clarke Farm in Wilson Creek, mostly from the shrub that makes the largest berries. Varieties are unknown, but there are at least two cultivars growing there.

Cornelian Cherry is tricky to grow from seed, requiring a long warn/cold/warm stratification: warm (120 days), then cold (120 days), then seeds should sprout in about 60 days at a warm temperature. The easiest way to stratify is to let nature do it for you by planting seeds outdoors in summer and waiting for seeds to germinate. the following spring. Sometimes they even wait until the spring after that, so patience is a virtue with this species!

Photo credits: 

  1. By CarTick at English Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=25449421 
  2. CC BY-SA 1.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=75770
  3. By I, B.navez, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=2491326

Growing Instructions

1. Soak seeds for 24 hours. Mix seeds with a moist medium, place in a plastic bag or other container.
2. Place seeds in a warm place, about 20 Celsius for 120 days.
3. Then move to the fridge or somewhere else close to 5 Celsius for 120 days.
4. Then sow seeds 1/4 inch deep in potting mix in a warm place. Warm daytime temps (25C) and lower night temps (18C) can help germination.
5. Seeds should sprout within 2 months. Keep watered.

Shipping & Returns

By placing an order, customers agree to the shipping & refund policies detailed on this page.

Most orders are sent via Canada Post to keep costs low.

 

Shipping within Canada 

We ship seeds in Canada via Canada Post's regular letter mail, which is an untracked service, and usually takes 1-4 weeks to arrive once we fulfill your order, but occasionally letter mail takes up to 6 weeks, especially to the Eastern provinces and rural areas.

Customers can now opt for tracked, express shipping options at checkout if you require faster delivery and/or tracking.

Larger bulbs and plants are usually sent via tracked flat rate box.

 

Shipping to the US

UPDATE FEB 2, 2026: WE ARE TAKING A BREAK ON ACCEPTING US ORDERS DUE TO ISSUES WITH USPS

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Shipping Internationally

International customers can select tracked or untracked shipping at checkout. The package will list the contents as "Garden Seeds". It is your responsibility to ensure you have the required import permit. We are not able to send any live plant materials internationally. Cicada Seeds will not be responsible for any orders held or confiscated by customs, or for any additional duties or tariffs placed on your order.

International shipping countries include: Hong Kong SAR, Ireland, Japan, Malaysia, Netherlands, Norway, Singapore, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom. (List updated Aug 31, 2026)

This list may change without notice. Sometimes Canada Post will not allow us to ship to certain countries due to wars or natural disasters, see this page for delivery service alerts.

 

Refund Policy

Refunds: We stand behind our seeds, so if for some reason you are not satisfied with your purchase, please reach out to us via email and we will do our best to make it right. Please note that shipping costs are non-refundable. 

Cancelled orders: If you wish to cancel an order after purchasing, we may refund your order minus card processing and admin fees at our discretion. We do not accept returns on seeds or plants.

Refused orders: We cannot issue a refund if you refuse to accept or do not claim an order we've mailed to you, or made available for local pickup. 

Incorrect addresses: Please double check your mailing address, and let us know ASAP if you've entered an incorrect address at checkout. We may need to charge for additional shipping fees to resend orders.

Ecologically Grown

Seeds are grown ecologically without the use of chemical pesticides or fertilizers.

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