Its flowers bloom in May. They grow in small white, red, or pink clusters. Small berries, called haws, sprout after the flowers. The tiny fruits of this tree are an inch or so big, have a bright red skin, lightly freckled. Looks rather like the crabapple.
These nutrient-rich berries have a tart, tangy taste and mild sweetness. They range in color from yellow to dark red. There is not much juice, while the texture resembles that of a soft textured apple.
The berries, leaves, and flowers of the hawthorn plant have been used for medicinal purposes. They contain chemicals called flavonoids, which have antioxidant effects. Hawthorn also seems to improve blood circulation and affect blood flow from the heart. Hawthorn can lower cholesterol, low density lipoprotein (LDL, or "bad cholesterol"), and triglycerides. It seems to lower accumulation of fats in the liver and the aorta.
Chinese hawthorn
