Ponti hawthorn
Crataegus pontica

Family: Rosaceae

What it is like

A tree. It grows 6-10 m tall. The crown is wide and half round. Young shoots have a covering but no spines. The older branches are dark grey. The leaf stalks are short. The leaves are bluish-green and have 5-7 lobes. They have a wedge shaped base. They are 5-7 cm long by 4-6 cm wide. Young leaves are hairy. The flowers are in compact groups or 6-14 flowers. The fruit are large. They can be 3 cm across. They are round of pear shaped. They are yellowish-green when young and become more orange. They fruit are juicy and acid sweet. There are 2-4 seeds in each fruit. Probably now Crataegus azarolus var. pontica (K. Koch) K.I. Chr.

There are 200 or more Crataegus species.

Where it is found

Temperate. In Kazakhstan it grows on rocky and gravelly slopes. It is drought resistant. It grows up to 1,500 m above sea level.

Countries/locations it is found in

Asia, Azerbaijan, Central Asia, Europe, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Mediterranean, Middle East, Tajikistan, Turkey, Türkiye, Uzbekistan

How it is used for food

The mature fruit are eaten fresh.

Edible parts

Fruit

How it is grown

Plants can be grown from seed. The seed need cold treatment. Plants can also be grafted.

A fruit can be 3 cm across and weigh 1.6-4.8 g. Fruit yield varies annually due to drought but is regular with irrigation. A tree can yield 12-20 kg per year with a maximum yield of 80 kg.

Its other names

Local names

Dulana, Guhujsipi

Synonyms

Crataegus aronia var. pontica (K. Koch) Zohary & Danin; Crataegus pontica K. Koch;