Chinese hawthorn

Crataegus pinnatifida

fruit-tree☀️ full-sun🪴 loam📏 small🌡️ RHS H6

🌵 Thorny⚠️ Invasive

📋Quick Facts

Height

5.0-7.0m

Spread

4.0-6.0m

Growth

🚀 Fast

Grows quickly, needs regular attention

Care Level

👍 Moderate

Some experience helpful

Water

💧💧 Average watering

Hardiness

Zone 6-9

Cropping Timeline

First crop

~3 years

Full production

~6 years

PlantedYear 3Year 6

Chinese hawthorn is an underappreciated fruiting tree that begins bearing within three to four years of planting. The large, bright red fruits are much bigger than our native hawthorn haws and have a pleasant tart-apple flavour. They are the fruit used in traditional Chinese tanghulu (candied fruit on sticks) and hawthorn rolls. The tree is extremely hardy and undemanding. Cross-pollination from a second tree improves fruit set noticeably.

About

Attractive small tree with edible red fruits used in desserts.

Top tip

Chinese hawthorns prefer sun and airflow; prune after fruiting and enjoy red fruits in teas or snacks.

Also known as: Crataegus pinnatifida, Chinesischer Weißdorn, Głóg chiński, Chinese hawthorn, Espino chino, Biancospino cinese, Aubépine chinoise, Chinese meidoorn

Pest Resilience

4/5 — Good resilience

Few pest issues; generally very hardy and low-maintenance.

Visual Characteristics

Flowers

Yes

Blooms in Spring

Fruits

YesEdible

Harvest: Autumn / fall

The chinese hawthorn year in your garden

Dispatching imaginary bots to check your garden out...

What to do now

How to Propagate

🌰Seed

Easy

✂️Cutting

Moderate

🌬️Air layering

Advanced

🔗Grafting

Advanced

This plant produces viable seeds for propagation

Hardiness Zones

H1a (tender)H7 (very hardy)

H1a

H1b

H1c

RHS H6

USDA 5–6 equivalent