Extremely durable and fruiting species the Russian Hawthorne has consistently yielded high quality small fruits in great numbers. The fruit is apple like in flavor and very mild.
To germinate the seed: Plant outside about 1/4 inch deep. After the first year a few will pop the first spring. But the majority of the seedlings will come up the second year in spring. So just let the seed go through one more season and the following spring most will sprout. This is due to the hard seed coat which needs to break down a bit in the soil including the biological action and the warm cold periods needed to sprout. You can shorten this a bit by sanding the seeds and get them imbibe the water into the seed much faster.
We recommend for the seed of 2021 to put in a moist media and zip lock bag, and store in your refrigerator for 90 days. Then plant outside in the spring. The soil with its bacterial action will help with seed coat scarification. Some will come up the first year and the remainder the following year.
| Plant Specs |
| Genus & Species |
Crataegus ambigua |
| Seed Source |
Michigan |
| Hardiness |
-30F or more |
| Ease of Cultivation |
One of the best species for cultivation for fruit 'as is' without needed cultivars. The species is susceptible to rust, but that has a small or no effect on fruiting. The rust can be controlled using Serenade which will help with its overall leaf health and consistent bearing capabilities. From Wyoming , our first attempt at growing this was very successful and really produced a lot of fruit in a short period of time. Due to its recognition as a health fruit, this species will work well in the northern U.S. |
