Crataegus champlainensis
Sarg.
Quebec Hawthorn
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(c) Carlos Domínguez-Rodríguez, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC)
What to Eat
Edible parts: Fruit
The fruit has a pleasant sweet flavour, measures about 1.5cm in diameter, and can be eaten raw or cooked. It is well suited to pies, preserves, and drying for later use. Up to five fairly large seeds in the centre of each fruit typically adhere together, giving much the same eating experience as a cherry with a single stone.
Where to Find It
It is a temperate plant.
Canada, North America, USA,
How to Identify
A deciduous tree reaching 6 m in height, hardy to UK zone 6, not frost tender. Hermaphrodite species pollinated by midges. Adapts to light sandy, medium loamy, and heavy clay soils. Tolerates mildly acid through mildly alkaline pH levels. Grows in semi-shade or full sun, prefers moist or wet soil but endures drought. Withstands strong winds and atmospheric pollution but not maritime exposure.
How to Grow
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. 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. Closely related to C. submollis, and included in that species by some botanists. This species is possibly no more than a part of C. rotundifolia.
Propagation: Sow seed fresh in a cold frame in autumn; some will germinate the following spring, with most taking a further year. Stored seed is slow and erratic to germinate — warm stratify for 3 months at 15°C, then cold stratify for 3 months at 4°C, and germination may still be delayed another 18 months. Scarification before stratification may shorten this period, 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. Pot seedlings on individually when large enough to handle, growing through the first year before planting out in late spring. For larger quantities, sow into a protected outdoor seedbed and undercut roots if plants are left undisturbed for more than two years.
Medicinal Uses
No species-specific studies are recorded, but hawthorn fruits and flowers are broadly well regarded in herbal folk medicine as a heart tonic, with modern research confirming this use. They produce a hypotensive effect and act as a mild, direct cardiac tonic, particularly indicated for a weak heart accompanied by high blood pressure. Prolonged use is necessary for efficacy, and the remedy is generally taken as a tea or tincture.
Other Uses
The wood is heavy, hard, tough, and close-grained, making it a practical choice for tool handles, mallets, and other small items. The plant is also noted for its scent.
Wikipedia
Source ↗A deciduous tree reaching 6 m in height, hardy to UK zone 6, not frost tender. Hermaphrodite species pollinated by midges. Adapts to light sandy, medium loamy, and heavy clay soils. Tolerates mildly acid through mildly alkaline pH levels. Grows in semi-shade or full sun, prefers moist or wet soil but endures drought. Withstands strong winds and atmospheric pollution but not maritime exposure.
Other Information
The fruit have a good taste.
Notes
There are 200 or more Crataegus species.
References (2)
- Plants for a Future database, The Field, Penpol, Lostwithiel, Cornwall, PL22 0NG, UK. http://www.scs.leeds.ac.uk/pfaf/
- Reis, S. V. and Lipp, F. L., 1982, New Plant Sources for Drugs and Foods from the New York Botanical Garden herbarium. Harvard. p 97
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