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The fruits of the red dogwood can be processed into jam
Red dogwood only slightly toxic
Red dogwood (Cornus sanguinea), also known as blood red dogwood, flowering dogwood or hornbeam, is a shrub that grows three to five meters tall with characteristic red branches. The widespread shrub shows its flat, white umbels in the months of May to June, from which develop small, blackish drupes until autumn. Many an ignorant collector confused the dogwood with elderberry.
Dogwood for humans only slightly toxic
Both in the leaves and the bark, but also in the roots is the substance cornin, which is slightly toxic to humans and can cause diarrhea and stomach pain especially in children by eating. According to information from the information center against poisoning at the University Hospital of Bonn, the fruits of the red dogwood in its raw state are not poisonous, but inedible. Cooked, however, they could be processed into fruit juice or jam. On the other hand, the hairy leaves coated with calcium carbonate can cause rashes in sensitive people as a result of touch.
Tips
Red dogwood is an important bee pasture, and its fruits are also used by many wild birds as food source. The plant is at best dangerous for small pets such as guinea pigs, hamsters or rabbits.