Last week I ate a dogwood berry for the first time. I guess I ate it because it was there, in the yard.

The previous owner of our place planted an ornamental Kousa Dogwood. I need to prune the little tree severely every autumn to prevent it from obscuring the view from the front window. Nevertheless it puts on a remarkable display of blossoms for several weeks during late spring and early summer.

However, I never noticed the fruits until this year. They seemed to appear suddenly around the middle of September. They range from orange to red, each about the size and shape of a raspberry, with a bumpy surface divided into polygons, somewhat resembling a lumpy geodesic dome. Appetizing! Well, interesting might be a better word.

First I checked the Internet to make sure they weren't poisonous, then I tried one. A dogwood berry isn't designed for eating. There are too many hard seeds inside, and despite its glossy appearance the outside is a dry, crunchy shell. The small amount of flesh inside is juicy and slightly sweet. I was reminded of pears. Considerably more flavorful than the bland mulberries I've tasted.

I'm not sure if dogwood berries are useful except as curiosities. The one "recipe" I found consisted of placing a single berry on top of a parfait made from other ingredients.

I suppose dogwood trees could be bred to produce more palatable berries. They might become all the rage. People in the future will enjoy dogwood berry ice cream and dogwood berry soda. Or should I say Kousa berry? Much more marketable.