Crataegus macrosperma
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Crataegus macrosperma, the bigfruit hawthorn is a species of hawthorn native to most of the eastern United States and adjacent Canada, though uncommon at lower altitudes in the south. It is sometimes misidentified as C. flabellata.[1] It is one of the earliest hawthorns to bloom in spring.[2]
Description
It is a small tree with long straight thorns. It has white flowers that bloom during the spring that smell like dead fish, attracting midges that fertilize the flowers, resulting in edible reddish-orange fruits that appear during the fall.[3]
The most fruit will appear if grown in full sunlight. It tolerates clay soils, drought, and wind, but not salt air. Seed-grown trees will take 5–8 years before producing fruit, but grafted trees often have flowers by the third year.[3]
Ethnobotany
The fruit can be eaten raw or cooked. The leaves, berries, and flowers are used in medicine for cardiovascular health.[3]
References
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