Crataegus chlorosarca

Maxim.

Rosaceae Edible: Fruit 376 iNaturalist observations

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Summary

Crataegus chlorosarca is an Asian species of hawthorn with black fruit. Although recommended as an ornamental and hardy in cold climates, it is rarely cultivated.

Description

A small tree. It is pyramid shape. It grows 6 m tall. The young shoots are downy. The leaves are oval and glossy. The have lobes and fine teeth around the edge. They are hairy underneath. The flowers are white. The fruit is black when ripe.

Edible Uses

The fruit is black, roughly 1cm in diameter, with a fairly dry, mealy texture and a reasonable flavour. It can be eaten raw or cooked, and works well in pies, preserves, and dried for later use. Up to five fairly large seeds in the centre of each fruit tend to fuse together, so the fruit eats like a cherry with a single stone.

Medicinal Uses

No specific research has been recorded for this species, but the fruits and flowers of hawthorns are well established in herbal folk medicine as a heart tonic, a claim supported by modern research. They exert a hypotensive effect and act as a mild, direct cardiac tonic, most suited to treating a weak heart combined with high blood pressure. Prolonged use is required for the treatment to be effective, and it is normally taken as a tea or tincture.

Distribution

Temperate. It suits hardiness zones 6-10.

Where It Grows

Asia, Australia, China, Japan, Manchuria, Russia,

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. 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. Hawthorns in general hybridize freely with other members of the genus. Seedlings should not be left in a seedbed for more than 2 years without being transplanted.

Propagation

Sow seed fresh in a cold frame in autumn; some may germinate the following spring, though most will 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, and germination may still require another 18 months. Scarification before stratification may help, and fermenting the seed in its own pulp for a few days can also accelerate the process. A further option is to harvest seed green — once the embryo is fully formed but before the seedcoat hardens — and sow immediately in a cold frame for potential spring germination. For small quantities, pot seedlings individually when large enough to handle and plant out in late spring. For larger quantities, sow in a protected outdoor seedbed and undercut roots if plants remain undisturbed for more than two years.

Other Uses

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

Notes

There are 200 or more Crataegus species.

References (5)

Bull. Soc. Imp. Naturalistes Moscou 54:20. 1879
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
Flora of China. www.eFloras.org Volume 9
Plants for a Future database, The Field, Penpol, Lostwithiel, Cornwall, PL22 0NG, UK. http://www.scs.leeds.ac.uk/pfaf/
Williams, D., 2017, Ainu Ethnobiology. Contributions in Ethnobiology. Society of Ethnobiology. p 159