Cornelian Cherry

The Story Behind These Cornelian Cherry Varieties

Most of the Cornelian cherries we offer come from the renowned Ukrainian breeding program led by Dr. Svitlana Klymenko at the M.M. Gryshko National Botanical Garden in Kyiv. Over several decades her team selected for larger fruit, richer color, improved sweetness, reliable ripening, and exceptional cold-hardiness. These cultivars were released under Ukrainian names, but in North America they’re often sold under friendlier trademarked names.

For clarity, here’s how our varieties map to their original breeding designations:

Coral Blaze™ — Ukrainian ‘Koralovyi Marka’
Exotica™ — ‘Ekzotychnyi’
Red Dawn™ — ‘Syretskyi’ / ‘Radost’
Red Star™ — ‘Vidubetskyi’
Sunrise™ — ‘Marina’
Svitlana™ — selection ‘U-26’ (named in honor of Dr. Klymenko)
Yellow™ — ‘Yantarnyi’
Elegant™ — ‘Elehantnyi’
Pioneer™ — ‘Lukianovskyi’

These aren’t random ornamentals—they’re serious fruit cultivars developed for flavor, productivity, early ripening, and cold-climate reliability. If you’re looking for unique fruit, dependable harvests, and beautiful multi-season interest, the Ukrainian selections are among the best Cornus mas in the world.