Cornel Cherry 2
Contrary to what its name suggests, the cornel cherry, also known colloquially as the “Herlitze,” is not related to sweet or sour cherries. Nevertheless, its fruits are rich in vitamins. Furthermore, the cornel cherry is one of the hardiest plants in Europe. Its wood is so heavy that it sinks in water. The tree owes the “mas” in its botanical name to this characteristic. This means “male,” although the cornel cherry is also appreciated by strong women. Its small, yellow umbels appear as early as February, which is why it is an important source of food for bees and other insects.
Cornel cherry (Cornus mas)
| Family: | Dogwood family, Cornaceae |
| Distribution: | Europe to the Near East |
| Size: | 4 –7 metres in height and 4 –7 metres in wide |
| Life: | Up to 70 years |
| Requirements: | sunny to partial shade, tolerates heat and prolonged dry spells well |
| Soil: | tolerates all soil types, prefers a high pH |
| Benefits: | Early-flowering insect-attracting shrub from late February to March, bird-attracting shrub |
Forged from steel, made for ideas
Over the course of its 120-year history, the Colosseum in Essen has seen just about everything. A piece of the Ruhr region’s history was written here. In the former Krupp workshop, production initially focused on armaments, locomotive frames and heavy machine parts. Later, AEG Kanis manufactured turbines in the massive brick hall. Around the turn of the millennium, it was reborn as a popular concert venue. For over 25 years, thousands of visitors flocked to musicals, touring events, award ceremonies and conferences. Until 2020, when the lights went out above the stage.
But stagnation has no place within these walls – and certainly not in the Ruhr region. RAG-Stiftung took over the Colosseum to carefully refurbish it in collaboration with Kruse Immobilien. Start-ups now have their home where the backstage area once stood; instead of steel products, ideas are now forged there. Meanwhile, the tradition as an attractive venue is to be revived: the impressive theatre auditorium has been preserved in its raw beauty.
And so, what was once an industrial and theatre site has ultimately become a piece of the history of ideas. A place that shows what transformation in the Ruhr region can look like: bold, diverse and ever-changing.
Reason for planting
The Colosseum finally reopened its doors in autumn 2025, after several years of renovation. The first tenants are the start-up and incubation centre BRYCK and the extracurricular learning centre TUMO Essen | Ruhr Area. We are dedicating a cornel cherry to this new chapter at this ever-changing venue. Both are carved from particularly hard wood.