Tian'e Large Hawthorn

Tian'e Large Hawthorn

Tian'e Large Hawthorn is a product with geographical indication status.

　　Tian'e Large Hawthorn is one of the renowned traditional fruits in Tian'e County, locally known as "red flower fruit." The fruit has a long history of folk cultivation, dating back at least 300 years. In 2008, it was certified as a pollution-free fruit production area and product. Thanks to its large size, thick and tender flesh, excellent storage and transportability (it can be stored for 3–4 months), high nutritional value (with calcium content ranking first among all fruits), and strong potential for deep processing, it is mainly sold to cities in Guangdong Province such as Guangzhou, Zhanjiang, Gaozhou, and Huazhou. It has become a major source of income for rural farmers in Tian'e County. The fruit is flat-round in shape, with a slightly concave top where the calyx remains attached, symmetrical shoulders, and weighs around 70g per fruit. Its skin is greenish-yellow with a glossy finish, and its lenticels are small and not very prominent. The flesh is yellowish-white, fine-textured, tart, with a slightly astringent taste but leaves a refreshing sweet aftertaste, making it ideal for processing. In recent years, all the large hawthorn produced in the county has been sold to Guangzhou, Zhanjiang, Gaozhou, and Huazhou in Guangdong, with demand consistently outstripping supply.

　　Large hawthorn is highly nutritious, containing 13 essential trace elements required by the human body. Its calcium content ranks first among all fruits—three times higher than that of small hawthorn—and its vitamin C content is second only to fresh jujube and kiwi, being 17.8 times that of apples. It also contains the anti-cancer element riboflavin. Large hawthorn has great potential for deep processing, with over 30 types of food products made from it, and as many as 49 types of traditional Chinese patent medicines derived primarily from the fruit. These medicinal uses clinically help strengthen the heart, treat arrhythmia, dilate coronary vessels, increase coronary blood flow, lower blood pressure, blood lipids, and cholesterol, act as antibacterial and anti-diarrheal agents, eliminate indigestion, reduce phlegm, detoxify, disperse stasis, stop bleeding, prevent heatstroke, refresh the mind, invigorate the spleen and stomach, and stimulate appetite. Among the processed food products, canned hawthorn, hawthorn jam, hawthorn cake, hawthorn flakes, hawthorn wedges, flavored preserves, various dried fruits, and sugar-soaked hawthorn are all beloved traditional items. Hawthorn juice, jam, sparkling wine, and fruit-flavored beverages all offer excellent color, aroma, and taste.

　　The distinctive Tian'e Large Hawthorn received Geographical Indication registration from the Ministry of Agriculture in 2010 and is classified as a geographical indication agricultural product. Tian'e County has approximately 5,000 acres of hawthorn plantations, supplying over 1 million kilograms of fresh fruit annually.

　　Tian'e Large Hawthorn

　　 Guangxi

　　 Tian'e County Fruit Production Management Bureau

　　 The geographical indication protection area for Tian'e Large Hawthorn covers nine towns in Tian'e County, Guangxi: Xiangyang Town, Liupai Town, Bamu Township, Pojie Township, Nazhi Township, Gengxin Township, Baluo Township, Sanbao Township, and Xialao Township, totaling 46 villages. The geographic coordinates are between 106°34′ to 107°19′ east longitude and 24°36′ to 25°28′ north latitude.

　　 AGI2010-04-00297