Nilchagai dolon, Blood-red hawthorn
Crataegus sanguinea
Family: Rosaceae
What it is like
A thorny shrub. It grows 1-4 m tall. The trunk is 10 cm across. The branches are purple-brown and shiny. It has thorn up to 3 cm long and these are straight, red and thick. The leaves are slightly dull and have a few hairs. They are 7-9 lobes. The leaves are 3-7 cm long by 2-5 cm wide. They are wedge shaped at the base and have teeth around the edges. The flowers are in groups on short spurs. The fruit are round and 8-10 mm across. They are orange or red. There are 3-4 seeds. The fruit are edible.
There are 200 or more Crataegus species.
Where it is found
Temperate. In Kazakhstan it grows in forest and on steppes. In northern China it grows in forests by rivers between 900-3,000 m above sea level.
Countries/locations it is found in
Asia, Central Asia, China, Europe, Germany, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia, Russia, Siberia
How it is used for food
Edible parts
Fruit, flowers
How it is grown
Plants can be grown from seed. The seed need cold treatment. Plants can also be grafted.
In northern China plants flower in May and June and fruit in July to August.