Fenxi Hawthorn

Fenxi Hawthorn

　　Fenxi Hawthorn

　　Morphological Characteristics:

　　A deciduous shrub. The branches are densely growing, with fine thorns, and the young branches are covered with soft hair. The twigs are purplish-brown, while the older ones are grayish-brown. The leaves are triangular-ovate to prismatic-ovate, 2–6 cm long and 0.8–2.5 cm wide, with a truncate or broadly wedge-shaped base. Each side has 3–5 pinnately deeply lobed segments, and the basal pair of lobes is deeper, with irregular sharp serrations along the edges. The inflorescence is a compound corymb; both the flower stalks and pedicels are covered with long soft hair. The flowers are white, about 1.5 cm in diameter. The calyx tube is covered with long soft hair, while the sepals are mostly hairless on both surfaces or have hair only at the inner tips. The fruit is a deep red, nearly spherical pome. Flowering period: May to June; fruiting period: September to October. Characteristics:

　　The fruits are relatively small, roughly spherical, 0.8–1.4 cm in diameter, with some flattened into a disc shape. The surface is brown to reddish-brown, with fine dense wrinkles, a slightly sunken apex with remnants of the calyx, and a fruit stalk at the base, which may be present or already fallen off. The flesh is hard, the pulp is thin, and the taste is slightly sour and astringent. Ecological Habits:　

　　It grows in valleys or mountain shrublands. The hawthorn tree is highly adaptable, extremely flood-resistant, easy to cultivate, and features a neat crown, lush branches and leaves, few pests and diseases, as well as attractive flowers and fruits. Therefore, it also serves as an excellent ornamental tree species for greening fields and gardens. Wild hawthorns are most commonly found on Mount Song.