Origin: Europe.
Botanical characteristics: It is a conical shrub or tree, deciduous, up to 5 mt high. Leaves are opposite, oval or lanceolate, with crenate margins. They are dark green and then in autumn they turn red. In autumn it produces bunches of spherical four-lobed deep red fruits. They are called “priest caps” because of their shape. Seeds are surrounded by an orange casing.
Agronomic and environmental characteristics: It is a spontaneous deciduous shrub and it is found mainly in calcareous soils. It is cultivated in any well-drained soil in full sun or partial shade. It has a good resistance to pollution.
Use: It can be used as ornamental plant because of its fruits and the autumnal colour of foliage. it is widely used in hedgerows, also in mixed hedges or as a single tree in parks and gardens. It is suitable to cover road embankments and riverbanks.
