Pioneer™ Cornus Mas

Cornus mas ‘Pioneer’™

Prohibited to FL

Also known as Lukyanovskii, this Ukranian variety of Cornelian cherry was released in 1975 and located at the former Republican Central Botanical Garden of the Ukrainian SSR. A very heavy producer of pungent, delicious, glossy dark red, pear-shaped fruit 1-1/2 inches long and weighing from 5.5 to 6g each, with a 7% sugar content. Ripens in late summer, about 2 weeks before Elegant. Makes great preserves and fantastic juice and wine, and when completely ripe it’s easy to remove the single large pit. An outstanding edible ornamental for its extraordinary early yellow blossoms, which look like tiny golden sparklers and cover the tree in a filmy haze of butter yellow at the end of winter.

The cold-tolerant, disease-resistant tree grows to 10′- 15′ within 10 years, continuing slowly after that. Somewhat self fruitful, but benefits from another Cornus mas variety as a pollinizer.

Cold Hardy to USDA Zone: 4