Japanese cornel

The Japanese cornelian cherry is fully hardy and gets through lowland winters in Germany, Austria and Switzerland outdoors without any trouble; you need no winter protection. Its very early flowers from February can be killed by hard late frost, but the shrub itself is unaffected.

Sowing (seeds): Collect ripe fruits in autumn, remove the flesh thoroughly and stratify the seeds in two stages: first two to five months warm (about 20 °C in moist sand), then three months cold in the fridge (about 4 °C). Alternatively, sow freshly harvested seeds straight away in a cold frame; they then germinate in the second spring after sowing at the earliest, often only in the third. Patience is needed: the double dormancy is typical of the species and cannot be shortened. For the wild form, seed is the most recommended method, since variability among seedlings is desirable for wild woody plants.

Cuttings: In July/August, take semi-hardwood shoots about 10 to 15 cm long (semi-hardwood cuttings). Remove the lower leaves and insert the cuttings in a free-draining sandy substrate. Keep the substrate evenly moist and put the pot in a bright, shaded spot without direct sun. The rooting rate is variable; expect a third to half of the cuttings to take. Alternatively, hardwood cuttings from December to January, taken from the previous year's wood, work too; insert them directly outdoors or in a cool frame.

Layering: This method is especially reliable. In spring, bend a strong branch growing close to the ground down to the soil, score the bark lightly at the point of contact and cover this spot with compost-rich soil. Fix the branch with a stone or a ground anchor. After one growing season (usually by autumn), enough root mass has formed. Then separate the layer from the mother plant and replant it in its final location.