Cornelian cherry or common cornel

Appearance: shrub or small tree, 3-6m tall, 3-4m wide; upright when young, crown becoming horizontally asymmetric with age, branches arranged almost horizontally; slow-growing, 10-20 cm per year.
Flowers: small, yellow in clusters, appear before the leaves, sweet fragrance.
Fruits: oval, crimson or red-black, sour, edible.
Leaves: ovate, opposite, dark green, glossy.
Root system: very deep, sensitive to soil compaction.
Requirements: sun/partial shade, tolerates high temperatures, winter-hardy, wind-resistant, tolerates pruning well, undemanding.
Soils: any well-drained soils, not very fertile, calcareous.
Note: tolerates pruning well in June (but not later).
Zone: 5a