Woody > Crataegus > Crataegus flava > Crataegus flava
Crataegus flava
Origin: Indigenous to South Carolina, Georgia, and Florida.
Mike's
Opinion
"
A tree 7.5 m in height with new, glabrous branches. It has 2.54 cm long thorns. In North America, it is used to make jellies. It is a relatively simple plant to grow and doesn't mind the type of soil, as long as it drains well and retains moisture.
Michael Pascoe, NDP., ODH., CLT., MSc. (Plant Conservation)
"
| Family |
| Rosaceae |
| Genus |
| Crataegus |
| Species |
| flava |
| Category |
| Woody |
| Type |
| Shrub (deciduous) |
| USDA Hardiness Zone |
| 7a - 9a |
| Canadian Hardiness Zone |
| 8a - 10a |
| RHS Hardiness Zone |
| H6 |
| Temperature (°C) |
| (-18) - 15 |
| Temperature (°F) |
| 0 - 5 |
| Height |
| 7.5 - 9 m |
| Spread |
| 7.5 - 9 m |
Photographs
Cultivars
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Description and Growing Information
Flowering Period
| General Description |
| A tree that grows to a height of 7.5m or more, with glabrous young shoots and thorns measuring 2.54cm. It is used in North American to make jellies. |
| Landscape |
| Screen plantings and specimen plants, sometimes with odd or weeping forms. |
| Cultivation |
| It is a simple plant that requires little care. It prefers damp, loamy soil. Once planted, it can survive both high soil moisture and drought. It grows well in both chalky and heavy clay soils. Full light is ideal for growing plants for fruit. Plants may flourish in semi-shade even though fruit yields and quality are diminished. Most species in this genus can resist air pollution and flourish in open areas. Can mate freely with other members of the genus, although grafted plants sometimes begin flowering extensively in their third year. Seedling trees normally require 5 to 8 years to yield fruit. |
| Shape |
| Upright, branches tilting towards ground. |
| Growth |
| Medium |
| ID Characteristic |
| Clusters of creamy-white flowers, lobed or toothed leaves, and prickly branches. |
| Habitat |
| Low slopes and wide-open woods with arid, sand or gravel-filled soils. Open forests, mixed forests, and sand pinelands. |
| Bark/Stem Description |
| Branches are straight or slightly bent young. Glabrous and flexible growth. |
| Flower/Leaf Bud Description |
| Corymbs with three to seven white, 0.01905-diameter blooms, glandular, glabrous (or initially slightly downy). The flower stalks, a calyx with ten to twenty stamens, and purple anthers begin to appear in early June. |
| Leaf Description |
| The leaves can be obovate to diamond-shaped, always tapering and glandular at the base, pointed, occasionally three-lobed, and doubly toothed; glabrous on both sides, and a 0.3556 to 0.0254 m long, glandular stem. |
| Flower Description |
| Spring brings white flowers that are a little showy. 1.905 cm diameter, flower-stalks glandular, calyx glabrous. |
| Fruit Description |
| Fruit that is about 1.5875cm long, oblong, and greenish yellow. |
| Notable Specimens |
| University of Florida Campus; Harmonic Woods, just N of gardens and Lake Alice, Sumter National Forest; Andrew Pickens District. |
| Propagation |
| Some seeds will grow in the spring, but the bulk will not grow until the following year. Seed is best sown in a cold frame in the fall when it is completely developed. The seed must be warmly stratified for three months at 15°C before being cold stratified for another three months at 4°C, due to its tendency to germinate exceedingly slowly and irregularly. It might take another 18 months for the seed to grow. This time can be reduced by scarifying the seed beforehand. Fermenting the seed in its pulp for a few days might help speed germination. Another possibility is to harvest the seed 'green' (as soon as the embryo has fully developed but before the seedcoat hardens) and sow it immediately in a cold frame. |
| Ethnobotanical Uses (Disclaimer) |
| Many hawthorns are well-known in herbal folk medicine as a heart tonic, and a recent study has validated this use-- even though this species hasn't been particularly listed. The fruits and flowers not only directly and gently affect the heart, but also have a hypotensive effect. They are especially advised for the treatment of weak hearts and high blood pressure. It has to be used often to function. The two most common ways to consume it are as a tea or tincture. |
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