Mayhaw
Botanical Name: Crataegus Opaca
From The Louisiana Mayhaw Association:
The mayhaw (crataegus opaca) is a fruit about 1/2" to 1" in diameter. Ripe from mid-April through early May, its fruit color varies from bright red to reddish yellow. It is not a desirable berry for eating raw.
The mayhaw is a Hawthorne native to the southeastern states that is normally a 20 - 30 foot tree at maturity. Usually found in low, wet, slightly acid areas, mayhaws produce best on good upland soils in full sun.
The mayhaw normally flowers in February and March. Ball-shaped at maturity, the mayhaw tree makes a beautiful ornamental.
Historically, Mayhaws have been harvested in backwoods sloughs, swamps, and river bottoms. Boats are sometimes utilized in the harvest of wild mayhaws. Limbs are shaken over the boat and nets are used to scoop them out of the water. Accessibility has dwindled over the years as developers have cleared the woodlands. Commercial and home orchards are now being created with grafted mayhaws.
Louisiana mayhaws are also being utilized by the Louisiana Department of Agricultrue and Forestry and the USDA for reforestation as a wildlife food.
The mayhaw is best known for the delicious, unique jelly that has been a southern favorite for generations. There are endless possibilities for processed mayhaws such as flavoring, butter, jam, sauces, pie filling, coffee cakes, ice cream, wine, etc.
From Aggie Horticulture - Texas Mayhaws:
Information and observations are very limited on some varieties. Most ripen over a 10 to 30 day harvest period, but some varieties may have 80% of the fruit ripe at one time. ‘Super Spur’ and ‘Super Berry’ seem to have the best yield and tree form. These varieties bloom early so they are best grown in central East Texas and Southeast Texas. The ‘Super Spur’ has chilling problems during mild winters in the Beaumont area. ‘Big Red,’ ‘Winnie Yellow,’ ‘Highway Red,’ ‘Highway Yellow,’ ‘T.O. Warren Superberry,’ Angelina, Harrison, Big Mama, and the #1 Big varieties usually bloom later and are better adapted to Northeast Texas. A potential grower in Northeast Texas should still plant ‘Super Spur’ and ‘Super Berry’ mayhaws due to the potential of these two selections when late freezes do not damage the crop. (ag)
From Mayhaw: A New Fruit Crop for the South:
About a dozen mayhaw selections have been collected from the wilds (river bottoms, lime sinks, swamps, sloughs) of Georgia, Mississippi, Louisiana and Texas with attention given to size of fruit, harvest or ripening period and yield (Table 1), but information from field trials is very limited. Most ripen over a 30-day harvest period, but 'Lori' may have 80% of the fruit ripe at one time. Little comparative cultivar information is available at this time, 'Super Spur' appears to be the best from a yield and tree form standpoint. Yields of 30 kg/tree have been reported for 30-40 year old wild mayhaws in Georgia and 60 kg for a 15-year-old 'Super Spur' in Louisiana. Preliminary reports indicate that selected mayhaw clones are adaptable to USDA zones 8 and 9. Although some cultivars have a low chilling requirement and bloom early, other cultivars should be adapted to the piedmont of the southeast. C. aestivalis cultivars may bloom a few days later than C. opaca cultivars and may be better choices further north. Bloom occurs over an extended period of time and the fruit are reported to be fairly frost hardy once past the bloom period. Winter hardiness may be good. There are reports of mayhaws fruiting after -25°C (-13°F) (1981) and two year old trees survived -32°C (-25°F) (1985) without damage (Akin 1985).
Super Spur
Skin red & yellow, round; yellow flesh, Excellent production; spur-type tree; rust susceptible; fruit drops when ripe.
Super Berry
Mason's Super Berry (Texas Super Berry) — skin red; round; reddish flesh; attractive fruit, early blooming; fruit hangs well on tree. T.O. Super Berry—skin red; round; reddish flesh; attractive fruit. Highway Super Berry—skin red; round; reddish flesh; thorny tree.
Texas Star
One of the best new Mayhaw varieties. Intense red berries 7/8"-1" in size. Fruit clusters with seven or more berries. A late blooming variety. Mayhaws are less care native small trees with showy white blossoms and good fall leaf color. Zones 6-8.
Available from Edible Landscaping.