Hi all, does anyone know where to buy CHINESE HAWTHORN Crataegus pinnatifida major 'Big Golden Star' tree? I would like to plant this tree in my yard and have edible haw later on. I've searched a long time... I live in vancouver, BC, Canada. Thanks.
You may have to be content with whichever form of large Chinese hawthorn you may be able to acquire there. More than one named cultivar has been on the market in the US but the supply to Canadians may I suppose be much more limited. Possibly you might even have to arrange with Canadian authorities to import these yourself, if none are in Canadian commerce already.
One that you should be able to find there that produces similar large meaty haws is the Lavalle hawthorn. This commonly planted ornamental hybrid is part Mexican hawthorn, another species that is used as an edible fruit in its native area. The Lavalle hawthorn has been sold by Raintree nursery, Morton WA mistakenly as the Azarole - a very different-looking species of hawthorn also producing useful fruits - so apparently the fruits of this kind (Lavalle hawthorn) have been found to be acceptable for culinary use as well. The erroneous naming may perhaps have originated with Hidden Springs nursery, another rare fruit specialist as I have seen a drawing of Lavalle hawthorn in one of their catalogs that was supposed to depict the Azarole. Or a third party supplied them with the wrong material as well. Multiple kinds of edible hawthorns may be found described, with suppliers for them given also in Cornucopia II - A Source Book of Edible Plants (1998, Kampong Publications, Vista). Probably the Lavalle hawthorn is among them, I am not at home where I could check my copy. I haven't noticed a third edition being produced. Another, slightly more recent fruit tree finder is Fruit, Berry & Nut Inventory - Third Edition from Seed Savers Exchange. http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/showimage/180221/
