Bentham's Cornel

Bentham's Cornel (Cornus capitata) is a small tree in the dogwood family, Cornaceae, capable of reaching about 12 metres in height. It is native to the eastern Himalayas and neighbouring parts of Southeast Asia, with a range that includes Assam, Nepal, Pakistan, Tibet, the East and West Himalaya, China South-Central and China Southeast, Laos, Myanmar, and Vietnam. It has also been introduced to both the North and South Islands of New Zealand. In the wild it grows at a medium rate and is not notably drought resistant, favouring moist sites. It accepts light sandy, medium, and heavy clay soils and will grow in full sun or partial shade, with hardiness reported for zones 7 to 10. The fruit is the edible part of the plant and can be eaten fresh or dried for later use; no other part is recorded as edible here. Beyond its fruit, the tree has practical uses: it is a source of tannin and lumber, and its wood serves as a fire starter. In cultivation it is commonly raised from seed or cuttings and is grown primarily for its fruit as the main harvestable crop. As this profile covers a species many readers will not know, any use of the fruit or other material should rest on confident identification and sound local guidance rather than assumption.