Crataegus armena

Pojark.

Rosaceae Edible: Fruit

gbif· cc-by

Moscow State University (copyright is managed by Dr. Alexey P. Seregin)

gbif· cc-by

Moscow State University (copyright is managed by Dr. Alexey P. Seregin)

gbif· cc-by

Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew

Summary

A deciduous tree not frost tender. Hermaphrodite flowers pollinated by midges. Accommodates light sandy to heavy clay soils at mildly acid to basic pH. Grows in semi-shade or full sun, prefers moist or wet soil and tolerates drought. Withstands strong winds and atmospheric pollution but not coastal exposure.

Description

Edible Uses

The fruit is about 1cm in diameter with a mealy, slightly sweet flesh and can be eaten raw or cooked. It works well in pies and preserves and can also be dried for later use. Up to five fairly large seeds occupy the centre, and as these tend to fuse together, eating the fruit is much like eating a cherry with a single stone.

Medicinal Uses

Though no specific research has been recorded for this species, the fruits and flowers of hawthorns broadly are well established in herbal folk medicine as a heart tonic, and modern research supports this. Both fruits and flowers exert a hypotensive effect and act as a gentle, direct heart tonic. They are particularly suited to treating a weak heart accompanied by high blood pressure. Prolonged use is required for effective results, and the plant is typically taken as a tea or tincture.

Distribution

It is a temperate plant.

Where It Grows

Coming Soon

Cultivation

A very easily grown plant, it prefers a well-drained moisture retentive loamy soil but is not at all fussy. Once established, it succeeds in excessively moist soils and also tolerates drought. It grows well on a chalk soil and also in heavy clay soils. 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. Most members of this genus succeed in exposed positions, they also tolerate atmospheric pollution. We are not sure how hardy this species is in Britain but a tree growing at Kew in September 1993 was healthy and bearing a good crop of fruit. Seedling trees take from 5 - 8 years before they start bearing fruit, though grafted trees will often flower heavily in their third year. 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. Hybridizes freely with other members of this genus. Seedlings should not be left in a seedbed for more than 2 years without being transplanted.

Propagation

Seed is best sown fresh in autumn in a cold frame; some will germinate the following spring, though most will likely take a further year. Stored seed germinates slowly and erratically — warm stratify for 3 months at 15°C, then cold stratify for 3 months at 4°C, after which germination may still take another 18 months. Scarifying before stratification may shorten this period, and fermenting the seed for a few days in its own pulp may also help. Alternatively, harvest seed green — once the embryo is fully formed but before the seedcoat hardens — and sow immediately in a cold frame for possible spring germination. For small quantities, pot seedlings individually as soon as they are large enough to handle and grow on for the first year before planting out in late spring. For larger quantities, sow directly in a protected outdoor seedbed and undercut the roots if plants will remain there for more than two years.