When Do Hawthorns Ripen? An Introduction to the Latest Ripening Times

Hawthorn is also known as shanliguo, shanlihong, suanlihong, shanlihongguo, suanzao, hongguo, hongguozi, shanlinguo, etc. It is a deciduous tree of the genus Crataegus in the rose family (Rosaceae), usually flowering in May-June and with fruit ripening in September-October, but the ripening time varies somewhat depending on the variety, so let us take a look together at which month hawthorn ripens!

When Do Hawthorns Ripen

Hawthorn is the dried ripe fruit of the rose family plant shanlihong or hawthorn. It usually has a flowering period of May to June and a fruiting period of August to October. In autumn, when the fruit ripens, it is harvested, sliced, and dried. It ripens in October.

Variety Classification of Hawthorn

1. Waibahong: Waibahong has a slight bulge at the fruit stalk, which looks like a crooked stalk, hence the name. Its individual fruit is larger than normal hawthorn. Candied hawthorn skewers (bingtanghulu) on the market mainly use it as the raw material. The fruit ripens in early to mid-October and has good storage tolerance.

2. Dajinxing: The individual fruit of Dajinxing is somewhat larger than Waibahong, and when ripe it has small dots on it, hence the name Dajinxing. It has the strongest flavor and belongs to a particularly sour type. Its quality is top grade. The fruit ripens in mid to late October, stores well, and has large fruit, with 72 to 82 per kilogram.

3. Damianqiu: The Damianqiu tree has moderate vigor, and its fruiting branches have a strong ability to bear fruit continuously. It begins to bear fruit 3-4 years after planting. Its individual fruit is the largest. When ripe it is soft and fluffy, with moderate acidity and a short storage life. The fruit ripens in late September and is suitable for fresh eating and processing.

4. American Giant Large Hawthorn: The American Giant Large Hawthorn is a rare foreign variety. It ripens in late October. The individual fruit weighs 40 grams, with a maximum of 60 grams. The fruit is tall and round in shape, bright red, with fine, firm, crisp flesh and abundant juice. It is sweet and sour and moderately so, with a fragrant aroma and delicious taste. It stores and ships extremely well and can be kept until May of the following year.

5. Dawuleng: Dawuleng hawthorn usually ripens in late September. The average individual fruit weighs 25 grams, with a maximum fruit weight of 45 grams. The fruit is purplish red, with five prominent ridges, resembling a small apple. It has strong self-pollination ability, stores and ships extremely well, tastes sour with a hint of sweetness, has few seeds, and is extremely resistant.

Dietary Taboos of Hawthorn

1. Hawthorn should not be eaten together with pork liver. Hawthorn is rich in vitamin C, while pork liver contains metal trace elements such as copper, iron, and zinc. Eating the two together accelerates the oxidation and destruction of vitamin C, reducing its nutritional value, so hawthorn and pork liver should not be eaten together.

2. Hawthorn should not be eaten together with fruits and vegetables containing vitamin C decomposing enzymes. Cucumber, pumpkin, carrot, and other fruits and vegetables all contain vitamin C decomposing enzymes. Eating them with hawthorn will destroy and break down the vitamin C in hawthorn, reducing its nutritional value, so they should not be eaten together.

3. Hawthorn should not be eaten together with seafood. Seafood all contains rich minerals such as calcium, iron, carbon, and iodine as well as protein, while hawthorn contains tannic acid. If eaten with seafood, it will synthesize tannin protein, a substance that can cause constipation and trigger symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, and abdominal pain, so they should not be eaten together.

4. Hawthorn is incompatible with vitamin K3. Vitamin K3 is a hemostatic drug, while hawthorn is a blood-activating drug, and the vitamin C it contains is not conducive to the hemostatic effect of vitamin K3.

5. Children in the tooth-changing period should not eat too much hawthorn, as it will damage the teeth and have an adverse effect on the growth and development of children's teeth.

6. Hawthorn has the effect of promoting uterine contractions in women. If pregnant women eat too much hawthorn, it can cause miscarriage, so it should not be eaten in excess.