Yellow Fruited Cornus Mas is a hardy Ukrainian dogwood cultivar that flips the script on the traditional red cornelian cherry. Originally bred by Svitlana Klymenko and introduced in 1982 under the name Yantarnyi (meaning 'amber'), this tree produces luminous yellow oval fruits about an inch long, each weighing roughly 3.5 grams, that mature in fall. Hardy in zones 4 through 9, it thrives in full sun with moderate water and well-draining soil, rewarding patient gardeners with both ornamental value and an unusual harvest of delicate, fragrant yellow fruits that taste distinctly different from their red cousins.
Full Sun
Moderate
4-9
?in H x ?in W
—
Moderate
Hover over chart points for details
The yellow fruits are genuinely unique among dogwoods, offering a more delicate and fragrant character than the red-fruited varieties most gardeners know. This cultivar bursts into bloom with fluffy yellow flowers in late winter, well before most other ornamentals wake up, then loads itself with distinctive oval yellow fruits each fall. The combination of exceptional hardiness in cold climates (zones 4-9), prolific fruit production, and the sheer rarity of yellow-fruited dogwoods makes this a specimen that performs double duty as both ornamental and productive tree.
The yellow fruits are edible and can be eaten fresh, though their small size (about 1 inch long) suggests they're better suited to culinary preparations like jams, preserves, or syrups where their delicate, fragrant character can shine. The tree also serves as an ornamental specimen, valued for its early winter bloom and the visual interest of yellow foliage and fruit in fall.
No timeline data available yet for this variety.
Seeds require cold stratification to break dormancy. Soak seeds in water for 24 hours, then mix with moist sand or peat moss and refrigerate at 40 to 60 degrees Fahrenheit for 60 to 90 days before sowing indoors. Start seeds in containers 6 to 8 weeks before the last expected frost date, keeping soil consistently moist but not waterlogged. Provide bright light once seedlings emerge.
Harden off seedlings over 7 to 10 days before transplanting outdoors after the last frost date. Space trees 10 to 12 feet apart in full sun. Ensure soil is well-amended with compost and drains freely; avoid planting in low-lying areas prone to waterlogging.
Harvest the yellow oval fruits in fall when they reach full color and yield slightly to gentle pressure, indicating ripeness. Fruits are ready when they've transitioned from green to a bright golden yellow and weigh approximately 3.5 grams each. Pick fruits individually by gently rolling them from the branch, or spread cloth beneath the tree and shake branches lightly to collect ripe fruit as it falls.
Prune Yellow Fruited Cornus Mas in late winter or early spring, just after flowering. Remove any crossing, damaged, or diseased branches, and thin the canopy to improve light penetration and air circulation, which supports both ornamental display and fruit production. Avoid heavy pruning, as this dogwood naturally develops a graceful, multi-stemmed form.
Enter your ZIP code to see a personalized growing calendar for this plant.
“This unusual variety traces its origins to the Ukrainian breeding program of expert horticulturist Svitlana Klymenko, who developed the 'Yantarnyi' cultivar in the early 1980s. The name itself, meaning 'amber' in Ukrainian, references the distinctive golden-yellow color of the fruit that results from her deliberate breeding work. Introduced to broader cultivation in 1982, this cultivar represents a departure from the widely grown red-fruited types of Cornus mas, showcasing how focused breeding work can unlock unexpected color variations within established species and expand the palette available to gardeners in cold climates.”