Common dogwood, cornus sanguinea
This is a native shrub with red stems, the plants have a suckering habit and can quickly form dense thickets. It is often found in mixed hedges and woodland edges in the UK.
The fruit is edible but very bitter, so better left to the birds.
An oil is obtained from the seed, it is edible when refined.
The bark is used to treat fevers.
The seed contains 45% of a non-drying oil, it is used in soap making and lighting.
A greenish-blue dye is obtained from the fruit.
The young stems are very flexible and are used in basketry.
Wood - tough, hard. Used for small items such as tool handles, turnery etc. A good quality charcoal is obtained from the wood, the wood also makes an excellent fuel.