The main difference between Dogwood and Evodia is the species, morphology and medicinal value.

Dogwood is a deciduous shrub or small tree of the Dogwood family, and Evodia is a small tree or shrub of the Rutaceae family;

The drupe of the former is oblong, plump, and sour in taste.

The fruits of the latter are dense, pungent in taste, like small tumors, and the surface is neither smooth nor bright.

1. Different species

Corus officinalis is a deciduous shrub or small tree of the Cornus family. It is also known as cornus, jujube, jujube skin, wild jujube, meat jujube, potato jujube, and chicken jujube. Foot, jujube, cornus, medicinal jujube, Tianmu seeds, potato meat, jujube.

Evodia evodia is a small tree or shrub of the Rutaceae family. It is also known as Wuyu, tea spicy, lacquered spicy tree, smelly spicy tree, Zuolichunyouzi, rice spicy tree, etc.

2. Different forms

From a morphological point of view, the biggest difference between Dogwood and Evodia is the fruits and flowers.

The drupe of Dogwood is oblong, 1.2-1.7 cm long, 5-7 mm in diameter, and red or purple in color. The fruit is plump and looks like big red dates, bright and shiny. The fruiting period of dogwood is from September to October.

The fruits of Evodia are dense or sparse, the color is dark purple-red, with large oil spots. Each fruit petal has 1 seed. The seeds are nearly spherical, with one end blunt and pointed, and the ventral surface is slightly flat, brown-black, with luster. What kind of fruit is like a small tumor, the surface is neither smooth nor bright, and it looks more dense. Its fruiting period is from October to November.

The flowers of Dogwood are yellow, and they bloom golden and very dazzling, while the flowers of Evodia are white, and their blooms are relatively light.

3. Different medicinal values:

Fruit officinalis is lukewarm in nature, sour and astringent in taste. It has the effect of nourishing the liver and kidneys, astringent and solidifying essence. It is used for dizziness, tinnitus, waist and knee pain, impotence and spermatorrhea, enuresis and frequent urination, metrorrhagia, vaginal bleeding, and collapse due to sweating.

Evodia Fructus is hot in nature, pungent and bitter in taste. It has the effects of dispersing cold and relieving pain, lowering qi and stopping vomiting, and assisting yang and stopping diarrhea. It can be used to treat cold hernia and abdominal pain, cold-damp athlete's foot, menstrual abdominal pain, epigastric distension and pain, vomiting and acid swallowing, and chronic diarrhea due to deficiency and cold.

Extended information:

The name Dogwood first appeared in "Shen Nong's Materia Medica".

In folk Danfeng Dogwood, there is also a legend about the origin of the name of Dogwood. It is said that during the Warring States Period, King Zhao suffered from cervical spondylosis and unbearable neck pain. An imperial doctor named Zhu gave King Zhao a decoction of dried fruits and quickly relieved the pain.

Then King Zhao asked Dr. Zhu what miraculous medicine he had used. Dr. Zhu replied that it was Cornus officinale. If you insist on taking it, it can not only cure cervical pain, but also calm the nerves, strengthen the brain, clear away heat and improve eyesight. King Zhao was overjoyed after hearing this and ordered people to plant cornus trees.

In order to commend Zhu Yuyi's achievements, the name of Shanyuyu was changed to Shanzhuyu. Later, people wrote Shanzhuyu as the current dogwood, and it was gradually passed down.

Reference materials:

Baidu Encyclopedia - Dogwood