Crataegus baroussana

Eggl.

Tejocote

Rosaceae Edible: Fruit 40 iNaturalist observations

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Summary

A deciduous shrub growing to 2 m tall and wide with hermaphroditic flowers pollinated by midges. Blooms in May with seeds ripening in September. Not frost tender. Tolerates light sandy, medium loamy, and heavy clay soils in mildly acid to mildly alkaline conditions. Grows in semi-shade or full sun, prefers moist or wet soil with some drought tolerance, and handles strong winds and atmospheric pollution but not maritime exposure.

Description

A deciduous shrub. It is spreading. It grows 3 m high. The fruit are red and 25 mm across. They are edible.

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Edible Uses

The fruit can be eaten raw or cooked and is notably sweet and quite large for a hawthorn, making it an acceptable dessert fruit. It works well in pies and preserves. Each fruit contains up to five fairly large seeds in the centre that tend to fuse together, giving the experience of eating a cherry-like fruit with a single stone.

Medicinal Uses

Though no specific research has been conducted on this species, the fruits and flowers of hawthorns broadly are well established in herbal folk medicine as a heart tonic — a reputation supported by modern research. Both fruits and flowers produce a hypotensive effect and act as a mild, direct cardiac tonic. They are particularly indicated for a weak heart combined with high blood pressure. Prolonged use is required for the treatment to be effective, and it is typically taken as a tea or tincture.

Distribution

It is a temperate plant. It suits hardiness zones 8-10.

Where It Grows

Britain, Central America, Europe, Mexico, North America, USA,

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. 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. 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. This is a species with some potential as a fruit crop in Britain. A native of Mexico, we are not sure how hardy it will be in all parts of Britain, but it is growing and fruiting well at Kew Botanical gardens. A seven year old shrub there in October 1992 was 1.2 metres tall and carrying lots of good sized sweet fruits. It also fruited well in 1993 and 1994, by which time it was 1.4 metres tall. It would appear that this is going to be quite a small species and very suitable as a fruit crop for urban gardens.More research is required to find out its hardiness and ultimate size.

Propagation

Seed is best sown fresh in autumn in a cold frame; some will germinate the following spring, but most will likely take a further year. Stored seed is slow and erratic — warm stratify for 3 months at 15°C, then cold stratify for 3 months at 4°C, and even then germination may take another 18 months. Scarifying before stratification may help, as may fermenting the seed in its own pulp for a few days. Alternatively, harvest seed green — once the embryo is fully developed 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 into an outdoor seedbed with protection from mice and seed-eating animals. Undercut roots if plants are to remain in the seedbed for more than two years.

Other Uses

The wood is heavy, hard, tough, and close-grained, making it well suited for tool handles, mallets, and other small wooden items. The plant is also noted for its scent.

Notes

There are 200 or more Crataegus species.

References (3)

Etherington, K., & Imwold, D., (Eds), 2001, Botanica's Trees & Shrubs. The illustrated A-Z of over 8500 trees and shrubs. Random House, Australia. p 239
Plants for a Future database, The Field, Penpol, Lostwithiel, Cornwall, PL22 0NG, UK. http://www.scs.leeds.ac.uk/pfaf/
Segura, S., et al, 2018, The edible fruit species in Mexico. Genet Resour Crop Evol (2018) 65:1767–1793