European cornel (Cornus mas), Cornelian cherry or dogwood is a species of flowering plant in the dogwood family Cornaceae, native to southern Europe. It is a medium to large deciduous shrub or small tree growing to 5-12 m tall, The leaves are opposite, 4-10 cm long, the flowers are small (5–10 mm diameter), 10-25 together in the late winter, well before the leaves appear. The fruit is an oblong reddrupe 2 cm long and 1.5 cm in diameter, containing a single seed. The berries when ripe on the plant bear a resemblance to coffee berries, and ripen in mid- to late summer.

The fruit is edible but the unripe fruit is astringent. The fruit only fully ripens after it falls from the tree. When ripe, the fruit is dark ruby red, it has an acidic flavour which is best described as a mixture of cranberry and sour cherry, it is mainly used for making jam, makes an excellent sauce similar to cranberry sauce when pitted and then boiled with sugar and orange, but also can be eaten dried. It is eaten in Eastern Europe in many ways including as a medicine. It is very high in vitamin C and is used to fight colds and flus. The species is also grown as an ornamental plant for its late winter flowers, which open earlier than those of forsythia, and, while not as large and vibrant as those of the forsythia, the entire plant can be used for a similar effect in the landscape. The wood of C. mas is extremely dense, and unlike the wood of most other woody plant species, sinks in water. This density makes it valuable for crafting into tool handles, parts for machines. The red dye used to make fezzes was produced from its bark, and tannin is produced from its leaves.