Fireberry Hawthorn (Crataegus chrysocarpa)

Family: Rosaceae | Edibility: Edible (3/5)

Crataegus chrysocarpa is a deciduous Tree growing to 6 m (19ft 8in). See above for USDA hardiness. It is hardy to UK zone 5 and is not frost tender. It is in flower in May, and the seeds ripen in September. The species is hermaphrodite (has both male and female organs) and is pollinated by Midges. Suitable for: light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils and can grow in heavy clay soil.

Edible Parts & Harvest Seasons

Edible Parts: Fruit, Berries

Harvest Seasons: Early Summer, Fall, Late Summer, Spring

Flavor & Culinary Uses

pleasant flavour when ripe, with the added bonus of ripening in late summer before most other members of the genus. — Fruit - raw or cooked.; Used mainly as a famine food.; A very pleasant flavour when ripe, with the added bonus of ripening in late summer before most other members of the genus.; The fruit can be used in making pies, preserves, etc, and can also be dried for later use.

Habitat & North American Range

Thickets and rocky ground along streams. (Zone 4, Zone 5, Zone 6, Zone 7, Zone 8)