Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
as landscape ornamentals, the abundance of high-quality, large-fruited pome
crops makes hawthorn fruit culture, outside of mayhaws, generally unre-
warding.
Mayhaws at a Glance
Chilling requirements:
Very short chilling requirements; typically
blooms during late January to early March and fruits ripen during late
April to May
Region:
USDA Zones 8 and 9. Young trunks and scaffold limbs are sus-
ceptible to sunscald.
Soil:
Best grown on well-drained upland soils but grows wild on low-ly-
ing, rather wet soils
Pollination:
Varieties range from self-fruitful to self-unfruitful. Cross-
pollination is recommended.
Variety selection:
Because it's a new crop, many named varieties con-
sist of vegetatively propagated clones of trees originally collected from
the wild.
Other notes:
Trees are easily propagated, and trees grown from seed
often produce desirable fruit. Grafted trees bear fruits within 1 or 2
years of planting, but commercial harvests typically start 4 to 5 years
from planting.
Mayhaws are native to the southern United States and produce small trees
or tree-like shrubs that are 20 to 30 feet tall. The rounded trees produce
showy displays of white flowers and yellow, orange, or red fruits. They are
