Mayhaw
Crataegus aestivalis
A Southern hawthorn whose May fruit makes a famous jelly.
Hardiness: zones 7 to 9
Light: full sun to part shade
Size: about 25 ft tall, 20 ft wide
Harvest: May
From: SE United States
Here: Hardy in the Lake Erie shore climate (zone 6b to 7a), so it can live outdoors in the ground.
Good for: food, pollinators, wildlife.
Native to: Southeast, Great Plains & Texas. Hardy in zones 7 to 9.
The story
Mayhaw grows in the swamps and river bottoms of the Gulf South, where Choctaw and Creek families gathered the floating fruit from boats in May, and Cajun and Southern cooks made the jelly that still sells at every church sale. Louisiana made it the state fruit tree.
Planting
Full sun or part shade, moist acid soil, even seasonally flooded; it also grows fine on upland soil with water. Plant two varieties for a better set.
Growing
Water through dry spells, mulch, and prune lightly in winter. It is a small hawthorn with white spring bloom and thorns.
Harvest and use
Fruit ripens red in late spring; shake the tree over a sheet or net the water beneath. Cook for jelly and syrup; too tart raw.
What to watch for
Cedar-quince rust, fire blight, and plum curculio.
See if Mayhaw fits your yard
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More native and wild plants
General guidance, not professional advice. Conditions vary by yard and year; for local specifics ask your county extension office. Never eat a wild plant you cannot identify with certainty. Traditional uses are shared as history, not medical advice. © 2026 Sean Priest · Irie Orchard. Terms & credits · Privacy · Home