Mayhaw
Crataegus opaca
Mayhaw is the beloved Southern wetland hawthorn whose bright red spring fruit makes the prized mayhaw jelly. A small bottomland tree that flowers very early and tolerates wet ground.
- Family
- Rosaceae
- Type
- tree
- Lifespan
- perennial
- Height
- 15–30 ft
- Spacing
- 15–25 ft apart
- Light
- sun
- Soil moisture
- wet, moist
- Soil pH
- acidic
- Bloom
- February, March
- Bloom colors
- white
- Wildlife value
- pollinators, songbirds, butterflies, larval host
- Caterpillar hosts
- ~168 butterfly & moth species
- Landscape uses
- specimen, hedge or screen, rain garden
- Native states
- AR, LA, MS, TX