Crataegus Species - The Hawthorns.
Crataegus baroussana.
The genus Crataegus, which includes our two native hawthorns,
comprises some 100 - 200 species of deciduous trees and shrubs
depending upon which botanists you want to believe. Crataegus is part
of the rose family, which contains many of our cultivated temperate
fruits such as apples, pears, plums, cherries, peaches and apricots.
The fruits of our native hawthorns are also edible but, as most people
who have tried them will testify, there are much nicer fruits around.
Many other species in this large genus, however, have much more
interesting fruits - some of these are absolutely delicious and easily
rival the best of our cultivated crops. Quite why this genus has never
received much attention from the fruit grower or breeder is quite
beyond me since it has excellent potential as a fruit crop and must be
one of the easiest of plants to grow, tolerating most sites and
conditions. It is also a very diverse genus, growing in many areas of
the world and ranging in size from small shrubs to large trees.
Cultivation.
Let's begin by looking at the plants' cultivation requirements.
Whilst in general they prefer a well-drained but
moisture-retentive loamy soil, they will succeed in most other
situations including heavy clays and very chalky soils. Once
established they are quite drought tolerant, though they will also
tolerate quite wet soils and I have seen some species succeeding where
the water stands in winter. Many species are also very wind tolerant,
some of them succeeding in maritime exposure, and they can be included
as part of a shelter-belt planting. They are also tolerant of
atmospheric pollution and so grow well in towns, cities, by main roads
and industrial estates. For the highest fruit production, it is best to
grow the plants in as sunny a position as possible, though they will
also succeed in semi-shade. A position on the sunny edge of a woodland
is probably ideal for them.
Plants are seldom overly troubled by pests or diseases and once planted
can usually be left to look after themselves so long as they have a
good mulch to keep down weed competition whilst they are small. They
are, however, susceptible to fireblight, a disease that affects many of
the trees and shrubs in the family Rosaceae. There is no effective
treatment for this disease and, should you be unfortunate enough for
any of your plants to contract it, then the only thing to do is to grub
up and burn the infected plant in order to prevent the disease from
spreading. The disease is not very common, fortunately, but many
growers do recommend that you keep your cultivated apples away from
Crataegus and other members of the family such as Cotoneasters and
Pyracanthas as a precaution.
Propagation
Propagation is not without its difficulties. The genus as a whole is
rather promiscuous and plants tend to spread their pollen around
without respect for other species. Hybridisation is rife when plants of
more than one species are grown together and so, if you want to produce
the true species from seed, then you either have to obtain your seed
from a wild stand of the plants or cover the flowers with an
insect-excluding device and hand pollinate. If you are not too worried
about breeding true to type, of course, then this natural tendency to
hybridize does offer plenty of opportunity to try and produce new
superior fruiting cultivars.
Once you have obtained your seed, you then have to germinate it. As
with many other trees and shrubs, hawthorn seeds have inbuilt
mechanisms to delay germination. This ensures that the seed does not
germinate as soon as it is ripe in the autumn, and then have to face
all the rigours of winter with very little opportunity to establish
itself beforehand. Where possible, sow the seed in pots as soon as it
is ripe in the autumn and place the pots in a cold frame or perhaps
even outdoors by the side of a north-facing wall. What is important is
that the seed is exposed to the rigours of winter so that it will be
ready to germinate in the spring. It is also very important to protect
the seed from the attentions of mice or any other creature that might
decide to make a meal of it. Seed can be very slow and erratic to
germinate, you might find a few will germinate in the following spring
though most will wait for another winter to pass before coming into
growth. A few more will hang about for yet another year before
germinating. One way that can reduce your waiting time is to harvest
the seed 'green' (just before it is fully ripe, when the embryo has
fully developed but before the seedcoat hardens) and sow it immediately
in a cold frame. It takes some experience to know the right stage but,
if timed well, most of the seed will germinate in the spring.
If you cannot obtain fresh seed, then stored seed should be sown as
soon as you can obtain it and left in a safe place in a cold frame or
outdoors in order to be weathered. Be patient, it will take at least 18
months before any will germinate. You might be able to reduce this time
somewhat if you soak the seed overnight in warm water, then place it in
a plastic bag with a small amount of moist sand or peat substitute and
seal the bag to keep the moisture in. Store the bag in a dark place for
3 months at 15 c and then for another 3 months at 4 c before potting up
the seed. Check the bag occasionally, remove any seeds if they have
germinated and pot them up straight away. Much of the seed may still
take 18 months to germinate.
Other ways of trying to reduce the germination time include scarifying
the seed before sowing it. You do this by filing away some of the outer
woody shell of the seed, being very careful not to damage the seed
itself. On a small scale this can be done by individually filing away
the coat of each seed with something like a nail file. On a commercial
scale, sulphuric acid is used to eat the coat away - timing is very
critical here and the seed must be thoroughly washed afterwards to
remove the acid. Fermenting the seed for a few days in the fruit pulp
may also speed up the germination process - a batch of seed that was
given this attention in America before being airmailed to me had
already started to germinate when it arrived a week later!
If you have a superior fruiting form then you need to propagate it
vegetatively in order to ensure that you produce plants that are
identical to the parent. Unfortunately, hawthorns are extremely
difficult if not impossible from cuttings and so grafting is the only
satisfactory method of increase. Seedling hawthorns can be used as the
rootstock - either of our two native species can be used or,
alternatively, you can graft onto a seedling of the same species as
your graftwood. There is quite a bit of scope for developing dwarfing
rootstocks in much the same way as rootstocks have been bred for
apples, though I do not know of anyone who is working in this field.
Grafting is best carried out in late winter to early spring, once the
sap is rising in the trees but before they come into leaf. I use the
whip and tongue method, which works fine for me, but other simpler
methods can also be used. So long as you follow a few basic rules,
grafting is quite a simple operation and even the complete novice can
have good results. I am not going to go into any more detail here, but
see the book The Grafters Handbook written by R. J. Garner and
published in 1988 by Cassell (ISBN 0 304 32172 9) if you want more
information on the subject.
The Fruit.
That is enough of talking about how to grow the plants. Lets
get onto the best part of the article - the fruit. This can
vary widely from species to species, though the basic structure is
always the same. Externally, it is somewhat like a small apple, the
thin skin covering a fleshy pulp. The colour of the ripe fruit ranges
from yellow, through green to red and on to dark purple. The woody
seeds are not apple like, up to five of them are formed at the centre
of the fruit and they often stick together in a clump, acting
effectively like a cherry stone. Fruit size varies from species to
species, with the largest about 1 inches in diameter. The texture is
also very variable, some species are hard, dry and powdery, others are
mealy, some are crisp and juicy whilst at least one is soft and juicy
rather like a cherry. The flavour can range from bitter, through boring
and on to absolutely delicious. Most of the species ripen their fruit
in early to mid autumn.
I like to eat the fruit raw and, with the better species, you can eat a
large quantity of the fruit and still want more. It is also possible to
dry them for later use, or to cook them for use in preserves etc.
As mentioned earlier, different species range in size from small shrubs
about 7ft tall to fairly large trees 30ft or more in height. Most
species develop thorns on their branches and in some species these are
2 inches or more long. I have not found these thorns to cause any real
problem with harvesting the fruits, though some species do form a mass
of thin branches that makes it difficult to get your hands into them.
Fortunately, most of the fruit is carried on the outside of the plant.
Flowering is in the early to late spring, usually just before the
leaves open. The plants look particularly beautiful at this time, as
they do when laden down with fruit in the autumn.
Pruning is not really a priority with hawthorns, though a bit of
formative pruning to young trees can be helpful and cutting out
diseased or badly placed branches on older trees can also be of
benefit. The plants flower and form their fruit on short new sideshoots
that are formed in the spring, mainly on young wood that grew the
previous year. Hawthorns are exceedingly tolerant of any pruning and
are capable of regenerating even if cut right back into old wood. Our
native species are often used as hedging plants, but there is nothing
to stop you trying out some of the species in the list below as
hedging. Don't forget, though, that regular trimming will greatly reduce
any fruit crops since it will remove the young wood.
Other uses.
Apart from their delicious flavour, hawthorn fruits have been shown to
have a tonic effect on the heart. Fruits of our native species are
often used in the treatment of weak heart conditions, especially if
this is accompanied by high blood pressure. Most, if not all other
species will have a similar action on the body. Thus, as well as adding
a delicious new fruit to your diet, if you eat hawthorn fruits you will
also be strengthening your heart.
The young leaves of our native hawthorn can be eaten raw. They are not
strongly flavoured, but make a pleasant addition to salads. Although I
have not come across any records of the hawthorn species mentioned in
this leaflet having edible leaves, I have eaten them and, consumed in
moderation, they are wholesome. However, if you try any leaves that
have a noticeable bitter almond flavour then these should not be eaten
since they are mildly toxic.
The wood of all hawthorn species is very hard and strong. If you ever
find yourself in the position of having to grub out a tree then the
wood is ideal for tool handles and other small items.
The Species
I am now going to list a few of my favourite species from this genus.
This is by no means an exhaustive list, I am sure that there are many
delicious species that I havent even tried as yet. Should you ever come
across a promising looking species that is in fruit then it is always
worthwhile giving it a taste - but make sure that you have the owners
permission.
Crataegus arnoldiana grows up to 20ft tall, though I have yet to see
specimens more than 15ft tall. This is one of my favourite fruits, it
is almost an inch in diameter and has a sweet flavour with a soft juicy
but mealy flesh.
Crataegus azarolus. The azarole grows about 20ft tall and is sometimes
cultivated in the Mediterranean for its fruit. This is about an inch in
diameter and is said to have a pleasant acid taste though this is one
of the species that I have yet to try. In warm temperate areas the
fruit develops more fruit sugars and has a fragrant sugary pulp with a
slightly acid flavour. In cooler zones, however, the fruit does not
develop so well and is best cooked or used in preserves.
Crataegus baroussana. I do not know much about this species since it is
not mentioned in any of the literature I have read so far.
Nevertheless, I have seen the plant growing in a few places and have
eaten the fruits. These are up to inch in diameter and are pleasantly
sweet. The plants that I have seen were less than 5ft tall but were
fruiting heavily and looked as though they are not going to get much
taller. This species, therefore, seems to have excellent potential for
small gardens or other sites where space is limited. The plant is
native to Mexico so it might not be hardy in the colder areas of the
country. All the plants I have seen have been in S. England and all
looked very healthy.
Crataegus durobrivensis. This species is not known in a truly wild
situation and is possibly a hybrid, so don't expect it to come true
from seed. It grows about 15ft tall and the fruit, which is about 3/4
inch in diameter ,is sweet and fairly juicy when fully ripe with a hint
of apple in its flavour.
Crataegus ellwangeriana. This species is probably another hybrid. It
grows about 20ft tall and the fruit, which is juicy and acid, makes
very pleasant eating. The fruit is about 3/4 inch in diameter.
Crataegus illinoensis. The fruit of this species is very similar in
taste and size to C. arnoldiana, mentioned earlier. I'm not sure how
tall the tree will grow, possibly 20ft.
Crataegus missouriensis. This tree grows about 20ft tall. The fruit is
about the size of a large cherry with a sweet, soft and fairly juicy
flesh.
Crataegus schraderiana. This tree, which grows about 20ft tall, has one
of the most delicious fruits I have ever eaten from a plant of the
temperate zone. It is about 1/2 - 3/4 inch in diameter, is juicy with
an extremely pleasant flavour, and almost literally melts in the mouth.
I would far rather eat this fruit than a strawberry.
Crataegus submollis. This species grows about 25ft tall. The fruit is
sub-acid, dry and mealy according to the books, but our experience has
been that the fruit, which can be almost an inch in diameter, is sweet
and somewhat juicy with a nice flavour.
Crataegus succulenta. Growing about 20 ft tall this species has some of
the largest fruits in the genus with specimens up to 1 3/4 inches in
diameter. This fruit has a sweet, juicy and pulpy flesh that is
excellent raw or for making jellies.
Crataegus tanacetifolia. This is a larger tree that can reach 30ft
tall. The fruit is quite different from those species mentioned above,
it is juicy and much firmer with a distinct apple-like flavour. The
fruit is up to 1 inch in diameter.
Conclusion.
This genus, as a whole, is very easily grown and contains many
species with delicious fruits, though virtually none of them
has ever been bred for their fruit. Because they hybridize freely,
there is an excellent potential to produce superior fruiting cultivars
and, with the wide diversity in size of the plants ranging from small
shrubs to quite large trees, there should be species suitable for small
gardens as well as large sites.
Suppliers.
A number of nurseries offer Crataegus species, though few offer many of
the species mentioned in this article. The best supplier I have come
across to date has been:-
Thornhayes Nursery, St. Andrew's Wood, Dulford, Cullompton, Devon. EX15
2DF. Telephone 01884 266746.
This nursery has an excellent range of Crataegus species and also many
other fruiting trees, including over 100 varieties of traditional
westcountry apples.
Database
The database has more details on these plants:
Crataegus arnoldiana, Crataegus azarolus, Crataegus baroussana, Crataegus durobrivensis, Crataegus ellwangeriana, Crataegus missouriensis, Crataegus schraderiana, Crataegus submollis, Crataegus succulenta, Crataegus tanacetifolia.
Readers Comments
Crataegus Species - The Hawthorns.
Dr. Helio Flores
Fri Jan 19 04:17:18 2001 Here in Mexico, we use the crataegus pubescens as a good fruit
and remedy for various ailments.
Do you know this variety? 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.
Fri Aug 17 09:05:43 2001
Hello,
My name is Hannah and I'm am a highschool student and I was wondering if you could
send me some more info about the Hawthorn tree.
Such as>>>
1. The different parts of the plant and their names.
2.How the plant has changed grafting,cross pollination.
3.And the lastly uses for the plant eg.dyes,food,medicines.
Your help would be greatly appreciated.
thankyou,
Hannah.
email=bubblegirl_02@hotmail.com
Crataegus Species - The Hawthorns.
vlad smith
Sat Oct 13 05:08:13 2001 I have noticed large shrubs growing in my area that were planted years
ago by the original farmers.
A local nursery suggested they were hawthorns but
no-one seems to know what type of
hawthorn these are.
They have white flowers in spring and lose their leaves in winter.
They seem more like shrubs than trees so I don't think they can be
Washington Hawthorns.
Can anyone suggest what type of hawthorn they could be.
Or alternatively could anyone please recommend a hawthorn
to plant as a hedge in a windy rural area with clay soil.
Drought tolerant if possible.
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 Crataegus Species - The Hawthorns.
Ray Scheel
Thu Mar 27 16:43:15 2003
I have had great success germinating the seeds of Crataegus marshallii (Parsley haw) with a simple operation of separating the ripe seeds from the pulp in the fall (late October), stratifying in the refridgerator until the seeds showed signs of germinating (mid-February), and planting into plugs.
I had a germination rate of almost 100% and by late March (5 months after collecting seed). I have a tray of seedlings putting out true leaves and about ready to pot up into larger containers, with a couple of seedling lost to neglect replaced by seeds sprouting in the bag still in the fridge. Crataegus Species - The Hawthorns.
Walter Stork
Sun Nov 9 10:05:54 2003
I have come across two species not shown in your list, but which you
might want to add, viz.
Crataegus oxyyacantha and
Crataegus monogyna (Rosaceae).
Any information on the difference of the two species would be helpful. Crataegus Species - The Hawthorns
Mon Jul 4 2005 hi. where can i get to buy seeds from the thorniest nastiest hawthorn variety? will be using them for hedge/ barrier purposes for protection and security. you can e-mail me at emoyg@hotmail.com. thank you. Crataegus Species - The Hawthorns
Sun Jul 24 2005 Thank you very much for this site
Best regards
Yusuf Soylu T?RK?YE Crataegus Species - The Hawthorns
Einar
Sun Sep 4 2005 Very interesting. Just the other day I realized that a packet of zereshk - dry sour berries that I bought in an oriental food shop - to add to rice when cooking it - actually was dried barberries. Crataegus Species - The Hawthorns
Rich (webweaver)
Thu Feb 16 2006
Сорта плодового боярышника Russian site on Hawthorns Crataegus Species - The Hawthorns
Wed Mar 1 2006
why does the plant have an acid Crataegus Species - The Hawthorns
HARRY
Thu Apr 13 2006 AN OLD HERBAL MENTIONS THAT CRATAEGUS ARE USED TO REBUILD HEARTVALVES.
50 DAY TREATMENT OF 1/2 INCH OR SO OF HAWTHORN APPLEBUTTER HOMEMADE OF
COURSE AND A TEACUP OF THE WINE FROM THE PARTS THAT DO NOT PASS THE SIVE
WHEN STRAINING THE BOILED APPLETS OF THE THORNAPPLE TREE. THE EFFACACIOUSNESS
OF THE PROCEDURE DEPENDS UPON THE 3 TIMES A DAY ADMINISTRATIONS OF THE
TOAST AND "JAM" AND A TEACUP OF HAWTHORN WINE..... THE WINE TAKES ONLY 4
DAYS TO PREPARE FROM HULLS,SEEDS ETC STRAINED FROM A KG OF BERRIES,CHINESE
HAWTHORN ARE $4 KG AND WORK FINE. THE STRAINED PARTS BOILED WITH A GALLON
OF WATER AND A CUP AND 1/2 OF SUGAR AND A 1/2 TEASPOON OF WINE YEAST,
BRE3AD YEAST WILL SUFFICE BUT CARRY A BREADY TASTE AVOIDED WITH WINE YEAST.
TWO OR THREE MONTHS OF THIS TREATMENT SUFFICES TO REBUILD THE VALVES
OF THE HEART.. I USED THIS PROCEDURE MYSELF WHEN PROMISSED 7 MORE YEARS OF
LIVE BY SURGURY IN 1979! NATURES TEAS SOME HERBS,DATABASES AND ORGANIC GARDEN AND HERB SOURCE LINKS. Crataegus Species - The Hawthorns
Amy
Sun Apr 23 2006
Does anyone know how old the hawthorn needs to be before it will bloom?
I haven't had any blossoms fruit for years--I planted them from seedlings
YEARS ago. They are about 10 feet tall now. If they don't bloom soon
I'm cutting them down .. . . Crataegus Species - The Hawthorns
David Beaulieu
Mon May 29 2006
Washington Hawthorn Trees A brief introduction to Washington Hawthorn trees. Characteristics of Washington Hawthorn trees provided, along with their growing requirements. Crataegus Species - The Hawthorns
michele
Tue May 30 2006 Just ran across your sight looking for places where i might purchase hawthorn seeds or small bushes already started. . . i'm in the USA, (Iowa) Crataegus Species - The Hawthorns
Wed May 31 2006 You can buy them online from the National Arbor Day Web site. Here's the URL:
http://www.arborday.org/Shopping/GoSearch.cfm?MultiSearch=hawthorn&submit=Search
Crataegus Species - The Hawthorns
Fri Jun 2 2006 Jean 2nd June 2006
Hello. No-one has mentioned C. prunifolia, which has lovely leaf colour in autumn & persistant, showy fruits. I suppose if the birds don't eat them, they may not be very sweet. Exeter,Devon.
Crataegus Species - The Hawthorns
Marilyn Avens
Thu Oct 12 2006
I am just starting (I hope) to germinate some haws collected in N Cumbria.
No sign of saplings in vicinity of parents.
How do the wild ones collonise an area? Crataegus Species - The Hawthorns
Ken Fern
Tue Oct 17 2006 Hawthorns spread entirely by means of seed. The most common method is through birds eating the fruit - the hard wooden coat of the seed is then partly broken down in the birds stomach making it easier for the seed to germinate when it is later sown in a handy packet of compost (the bird's poo).
The seed usually germinates in the spring, growing best if it is in a sunny position.
The young seedlings are adored by rabbits and deer, who will eat them right down to their base, and this is often the reason that you do not find many seedlings in grassland. Crataegus Species - The Hawthorns
Cindy K
Tue Mar 20 2007 Can anyone give me information on how and when to prune? Thanks
Crataegus Species - The Hawthorns
Ken Fern, Plants for a Future
Tue Mar 20 2007 The best time to prune is in the dormant season, preferably in January or February in the northern hemisphere. It is getting too late to do it now because the plants are coming into leaf (at least, they are here in Cornwall).
Hawthorns fruit mainly on small shoots that grow from last years wood, so it is difficult to prune without removing potentially fruiting branches. Unless you are pruning for a specific form (such as a standard with a clear trunk), hawthorns need very little, if any, pruning. Restricting yourself to cutting out any dead branches plus removing any obviously crowded branches is usually sufficient.
Crataegus Species - The Hawthorns
John S
Wed May 16 2007 I found hawthorn berries in my neighborhood here in Portland, OR USA
30 years ago and I've been eating them since. I have found out
that they are the Carriere Hawthorn, a hybrid between the commonly
eaten Mexican hawthorn and an eastern US native. They taste good
and I have grafted several in my yard. I look forward to them growing up!
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