Crataegus opaca

Crataegus opaca, known as the western mayhaw, is a shrub or small tree of the southern United States. It is one of several species of hawthorn with fruits known as "mayhaws".

Description

A small tree. It has a reasonably tall trunk. The crown is rounded. The tree is 9 m high. The trunk is 20 cm across. The bark is dark reddish-brown and cracked and scaly. The leaves are 5-6 cm long and 1.2-2.5 cm wide. They are oval but narrow from the middle to the tip. There are fine teeth along the edge. The leaves are covered with grey hairs when young. They are dark green above and with rusty hairs underneath. The flowers are 2.5 cm wide and with 5 white petals. The fruit are 15 mm across and round and shiny red. They have pale dots. They are slightly sour and edible.

Edible Uses

The fruit can be eaten raw or cooked and is juicy and acid with a pleasant flavour, reaching up to 2cm in diameter. It is frequently used and highly prized in parts of the southern United States, where it is often gathered in large quantities from the wild. Its acidity makes it a favourite for preserves and jellies. The fruit can also be dried for later use. Up to five fairly large seeds in the centre tend to stick together, giving the impression of eating a cherry-like fruit with a single stone.

Traditional Uses

The fruit are used for preserves and jellies.

This uses section is brief — help expand it

Medicinal Uses

Although no specific research has been recorded for this species, the fruits and flowers of hawthorns in general are well established in herbal folk medicine as a heart tonic — a reputation supported by modern research. Both parts exert a hypotensive effect and act as a gentle, direct cardiac tonic, making them particularly useful for treating a weak heart accompanied by high blood pressure. Treatment must be continued over a prolonged period to be effective, and is typically taken as a tea or tincture.

Distribution

Temperate. They grow in mature stands in wet soils of riverbanks.

Where It Grows

Australia, 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 and also in heavy clay soils. It thrives in acid 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. A very hardy species, tolerating temperatures down to about -30°c. Hybridizes freely with other members of this genus. 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. Seedlings should not be left in a seedbed for more than 2 years without being transplanted. Occasionally cultivated for its fruit in America, there are some named varieties.

Propagation

Seed is best sown fresh in autumn in a cold frame; some will germinate the following spring, though most are likely to 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 even then germination may take another 18 months. Scarifying before stratification may shorten this period, and fermenting the seed briefly in its own pulp can also help. 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 batches, 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 direct into a protected outdoor seedbed and undercut the roots if plants are to remain in situ for more than two years.

Other Uses

The wood is heavy, hard, and strong but does not grow large enough for commercial use. It is nonetheless 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.

Synonyms

References (8)

• Companion Bot. Mag. 1:25. 1835
• Facciola, S., 1998, Cornucopia 2: a Source Book of Edible Plants. Kampong Publications, p 197 (Listed as Crataegus aestivalis)
• Glowinski, L., 1999, The Complete Book of Fruit Growing in Australia. Lothian. p 45
• Little, E.L., 1980, National Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Trees. Alfred A. Knopf. p 478
• Plants for a Future database, The Field, Penpol, Lostwithiel, Cornwall, PL22 0NG, UK. http://www.scs.leeds.ac.uk/pfaf/

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