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Crataegus opaca - Hook.&Arn.

Western Mayhaw

Author	Hook.&Arn.	Botanical references	82
Family	Rosaceae	Genus	Crataegus
Synonyms
Known Hazards	None known
Range	Southern N. America - North Carolina to Mississippi.
Habitat	Deep depressions filled with water for most of the year, borders of swamps, low river banks etc[82].
Edibility Rating	3 (1-5)	Medicinal Rating	2 (1-5)

Physical Characteristics

A decidious Shrub growing to 9m at a medium rate.

The plant prefers light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils and can grow in heavy clay soil. The plant prefers acid, neutral and basic (alkaline) soils and can grow in very acid soil. It can grow in semi-shade (light woodland) or no shade. It requires moist or wet soil and can tolerate drought. The plant can tolerates strong winds but not maritime exposure. It can tolerate atmospheric pollution.

Habitats

Woodland Garden; Secondary; Sunny Edge; Dappled Shade;

Cultivars: (as above except)
'Big "V"'
'Big Red'
'Heavy'
'Super Berry'
'Super Spur'

Edible Uses

Edible Parts: Fruit.

Fruit - raw or cooked[160]. Juicy and acid with a pleasant flavour[2]. It is up to 2cm in diameter[227]. The fruit is frequently used and much prized in parts of southern N. America where it is often gathered in quantity from the wild. Its acid flavour makes it a favourite for preserves and jellies[82, 183, 227]. The fruit can also be dried for later use. There are up to five fairly large seeds in the centre of the fruit, these often stick together and so the effect is of eating a cherry-like fruit with a single seed[K].

Medicinal Uses

Plants For A Future can not take any responsibility for any adverse effects from the use of plants. Always seek advice from a professional before using a plant medicinally.

Cardiotonic; Hypotensive.

Although no specific mention has been seen for this species, the fruits and flowers of many hawthorns are well-known in herbal folk medicine as a heart tonic and modern research has borne out this use. The fruits and flowers have a hypotensive effect as well as acting as a direct and mild heart tonic[222]. They are especially indicated in the treatment of weak heart combined with high blood pressure[222]. Prolonged use is necessary for it to be efficacious[222]. It is normally used either as a tea or a tincture[222].

Other Uses

Wood - heavy, hard and strong, but not large enough for commercial use[227]. Useful for making tool handles, mallets and other small items[82].

Scented Plants

Flowers: Fresh

The flowers have an unpleasant smell like decaying fish, though when freshly open they also have a pleasant balsamic undertone.

Cultivation details

A very easily grown plant, it prefers a well-drained moisture retentive loamy soil but is not at all fussy[11, 200]. Once established, it succeeds in excessively moist soils and also tolerates drought[200]. It grows well on a chalk soil and also in heavy clay soils[200]. It thrives in acid soils[160]. A position in full sun is best when plants are being grown for their fruit, they also succeed in semi-shade though fruit yields and quality will be lower in such a position[11, 200]. Most members of this genus succeed in exposed positions, they also tolerate atmospheric pollution[200]. A very hardy species, tolerating temperatures down to about -30�c[160]. Hybridizes freely with other members of this genus[200]. Seedling trees take from 5 - 8 years before they start bearing fruit, though grafted trees will often flower heavily in their third year[K]. The flowers have a foetid smell somewhat like decaying fish. This attracts midges which are the main means of fertilization. When freshly open, the flowers have more pleasant scent with balsamic undertones[245]. Seedlings should not be left in a seedbed for more than 2 years without being transplanted[11]. Occasionally cultivated for its fruit in America, there are some named varieties[183].

Propagation

Seed - this is best sown as soon as it is ripe in the autumn in a cold frame, some of the seed will germinate in the spring, though most will probably take another year. Stored seed can be very slow and erratic to germinate, it should be warm stratified for 3 months at 15�c and then cold stratified for another 3 months at 4�c[164]. It may still take another 18 months to germinate[78]. Scarifying the seed before stratifying it might reduce this time[80]. Fermenting the seed for a few days in its own pulp may also speed up the germination process[K]. Another possibility is to harvest the seed 'green' (as soon as the embryo has fully developed but before the seedcoat hardens) and sow it immediately in a cold frame. If timed well, it can germinate in the spring[80]. If you are only growing small quantities of plants, it is best to pot up the seedlings as soon as they are large enough to handle and grow them on in individual pots for their first year, planting them out in late spring into nursery beds or their final positions. When growing larger quantities, it might be best to sow them directly outdoors in a seedbed, but with protection from mice and other seed-eating creatures. Grow them on in the seedbed until large enough to plant out, but undercut the roots if they are to be left undisturbed for more than two years.

Cultivars

'Big "V"'

The red fruits are up to 20mm in diameter[183]. A heavy bearing tree, it grows with an attractive branching habit[183].

'Big Red'

The largest fruit of any cultivar, with specimens up to 25mm in diameter[183]. The tree is a rank grower and it takes some years to settle down before producing fruit[183].

'Heavy'

The red fruits are up to 20mm in diameter[183]. This is the heaviest-bearing of any cultivar. Young tree growth is willowy and twiggy, but it matures nicely and stiffens with age[183].

'Mississippi Beauty'

A small tree with red fruits that are ideally suited for making jelly[183].

'Super Berry'

The large fruits can be up to 25mm in diameter[183]. When ripe they can hang on the tree for a very long time[83]. This is the earliest flowering cultivar, the tree is ornamental both in flower and in fruit[183].

'Super Spur'

The red fruit is up to 20mm in diameter[183]. A spur-type tree that produces a large thick bearing canopy[183]. Yields of 135 kilos of fruit per tree have been recorded[183].

'Yellow'

A very ornamental yellow fruited cultivar that is equal in flavour to other cultivars[183]. The tree appears to be somewhat less vigorous in growth than other cultivars[183].

Links

This plant is also mentioned in the following PFAF articles: Edible Shrubs.

References

[K] Ken Fern
Notes from observations, tasting etc at Plants For A Future and on field trips.

[2] Hedrick. U. P. Sturtevant's Edible Plants of the World. Dover Publications 1972 ISBN 0-486-20459-6
Lots of entries, quite a lot of information in most entries and references.

[11] Bean. W. Trees and Shrubs Hardy in Great Britain. Vol 1 - 4 and Supplement. Murray 1981
A classic with a wealth of information on the plants, but poor on pictures.

[78] Sheat. W. G. Propagation of Trees, Shrubs and Conifers. MacMillan and Co 1948
A bit dated but a good book on propagation techniques with specific details for a wide range of plants.

[80] McMillan-Browse. P. Hardy Woody Plants from Seed. Grower Books 1985 ISBN 0-901361-21-6
Does not deal with many species but it is very comprehensive on those that it does cover. Not for casual reading.

[82] Sargent. C. S. Manual of the Trees of N. America. Dover Publications Inc. New York. 1965 ISBN 0-486-20278-X
Two volumes, a comprehensive listing of N. American trees though a bit out of date now. Good details on habitats, some details on plant uses. Not really for the casual reader.

[83] Evans. R. L. Handbook of Cultivated Sedums. Science Reviews 1983
Deals with the genus Sedum. Fairly easy reading, it gives cultivation details and some notes on habitats.

[160] Natural Food Institute, Wonder Crops. 1987. 0
Fascinating reading, this is an annual publication. Some reports do seem somewhat exaggerated though.

[164] Bird. R. (Editor) Growing from Seed. Volume 4. Thompson and Morgan. 1990
Very readable magazine with lots of information on propagation. A good article on Yuccas, one on Sagebrush (Artemesia spp) and another on Chaerophyllum bulbosum.

[183] Facciola. S. Cornucopia - A Source Book of Edible Plants. Kampong Publications 1990 ISBN 0-9628087-0-9
Excellent. Contains a very wide range of conventional and unconventional food plants (including tropical) and where they can be obtained (mainly N. American nurseries but also research institutes and a lot of other nurseries from around the world.

[200] Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press 1992 ISBN 0-333-47494-5
Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.

[222] Foster. S. & Duke. J. A. A Field Guide to Medicinal Plants. Eastern and Central N. America. Houghton Mifflin Co. 1990 ISBN 0395467225
A concise book dealing with almost 500 species. A line drawing of each plant is included plus colour photographs of about 100 species. Very good as a field guide, it only gives brief details about the plants medicinal properties.

[227] Vines. R.A. Trees of North Texas University of Texas Press. 1982 ISBN 0292780206
A readable guide to the area, it contains descriptions of the plants and their habitats with quite a bit of information on plant uses.

[245] Genders. R. Scented Flora of the World. Robert Hale. London. 1994 ISBN 0-7090-5440-8
An excellent, comprehensive book on scented plants giving a few other plant uses and brief cultivation details. There are no illustrations.

Readers Comments

Plants for a Future does not verify the accuracy of reader comments, use at your own risk. In particular Plants For A Future can not take any responsibility for any adverse effects from the use of plants. You should always consult a professional before using plants medicinally.

Crataegus Species - The Hawthorns.

erik Thu Jun 21 00:22:10 2001

Crataegus opaca and C. aestivalis (& hybrids), "Mayhaws," are locally important in the S.E. USA for jellymaking, where many consider them the best fruit for that purpose. I find the flavor very similar to good crabapples --good since most apples die w/in months in the Deep South. Like quince, no one eats them raw. Cedar-quince rust is the only disease problem I've seen.

Crataegus Species - The Hawthorns.

Mehmet Uludogan Fri Nov 29 21:20:00 2002

hello we have two types of crataegea in Turkey the endemic plant C.Dikmensis , and C.tanacetifolia both of them are very delicious fruits . last year I saw another type of Cratagea plant in Ýstanbul the flowers of the plants were magnifecent , but their fruits were inedible ..I will be very pleased to have seeds of different kinds of edible type of this plant , I can send the seeds of the Turkish type of the plant thank you for your cooperation greetings from Ýstanbul Turkey

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