Chinese Hawthorn (Crataegus pinnatifida) | Ornamental Fruit Tree

Chinese Hawthorn

3 Gallon

$145.00

1/5

Chinese Hawthorn

Crataegus pinnatifida

Key Ingredient for Tanghulu • Unique Sweet-Tart Flavor • Hardy & Ornamental Tree

$145.00

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Bay Area–Based Nursery

We specialize in plants grown and delivered in their original pots and soil.
Because of their size and weight, our plants are not suitable for long-distance shipping and are delivered locally to ensure health and quality.

While delivery is limited to our local service area, we’re happy to support garden design and plant selection remotely.

For local plant professionals, we’re always glad to connect and explore ways to support your customers.

The Chinese Hawthorn, or Shan Zha, is a beloved tree that bridges the garden and the traditional medicine cabinet. In spring, it's covered in clusters of fragrant white flowers, followed by a heavy crop of iconic, bright red fruits that hang like festive ornaments. These tart, tangy berries are the key ingredient in the classic Chinese street snack "tanghulu" (candied fruit skewers) and are revered for their digestive properties, often dried and used in teas and preserves. Tough, adaptable, and ornamental, this tree offers a unique taste of East Asian culinary heritage and year-round garden interest.

Produces abundant clusters of bright red, round fruits with a distinctive sweet-tart flavor.
Blooms in spring with showy, fragrant clusters of white flowers.
A staple in Chinese cuisine and herbalism, primarily used to make candied snacks (tanghulu), preserves, and digestive aids.
Self-pollinating and exceptionally hardy, with good resistance to pests, diseases, and drought once established.
Features attractive, deeply lobed, glossy green leaves.
A fast-growing, small deciduous tree or large shrub with a rounded form.

Flavor Profile (of the Fruit):

Flavor: A unique and balanced blend of tartness and sweetness, more complex than common hawthorns.
Texture: Firm and slightly mealy when raw, softening when cooked.
Primary Uses: Candying (tanghulu), making jams, jellies, fruit leathers, dried for tea, and used in traditional herbal preparations.

Knowing how we measure the size?

When browsing our plants, you may notice size terms such as Gallon, Multi, or Stand. These describe how a plant is grown, containerized, or structured at the time of sale — not just its height. Understanding these terms will help you choose the right plant for your space and expectations.

🌱 Gallon Size (Container Size)

Gallon refers to the size of the nursery container the plant is currently growing in (e.g. 1 Gallon, 5 Gallon, 15 Gallon).

A larger gallon size generally means:
- A more established root system
- A sturdier plant
- Faster visual impact after planting
Example:
- 5 Gallon: Ideal for residential gardens, easy to handle, good balance of value and maturity
- 15 Gallon: More mature, provides quicker results in the landscape

Note: Gallon size does not guarantee a specific height, as growth varies by species.

🌳 Multi (Multi-Trunk / Multi-Branch Form)

Multi indicates the plant has multiple trunks or main stems growing from the base.

Commonly used for:
- Ornamental trees
- Feature plants
- Japanese maples, olives, crepe myrtles, etc.
Why choose Multi:
- Fuller, more sculptural appearance
- Strong visual presence even at younger ages
- Popular for design-focused landscapes

🌲 Stand (Single-Trunk / Standard Form)

Stand (short for Standard) refers to a single, dominant trunk with a raised or naturally formed canopy.

Commonly used for:
- Shade trees
- Street trees
- Orchard and structural plantings
Why choose Stand:
- Clean, classic tree form
- Easier clearance for walkways and lawns
- Preferred for long-term structure and uniformity

🌿 Choosing the Right Size

If you want instant impact → larger Gallon, Multi form
If you want long-term structure → Stand form
If you want flexibility and value → mid-size Gallon containers

If you’re unsure which size or form fits your project, our team is happy to help you select the best option based on your space, timeline, and design goals.

The flowers are white, bloom in clusters, are fragrant, and self-fruitful;
The fruit is round, red, with hard seeds inside, and has a unique sweet-sour taste;
It can be eaten fresh, made into jam, stewed, or made into preserves or candies.
Leaves are irregular, deeply lobed, leathery, bright green, with serrated edges;
Small deciduous tree, 15 feet tall, fast growing;
The bark is grey-brown, heat tolerant, drought tolerant after roots are established, cold tolerant, and resistant to diseases and insect pests.
Victory Nursery is working at full capacity to find high-quality hawthorn seedlings grown locally in the United States.

Q: What is this hawthorn used for?
A: It is culturally significant in East Asia. The fruit is famously coated in hard sugar syrup to make "tanghulu," a popular street food. It is also dried for herbal tea (believed to aid digestion) and made into jam, candy, and haw flakes.

Q: Are the fruits edible straight from the tree?
A: Yes, they can be eaten fresh, but they are quite tart and tangy. Most people prefer them processed—candied, cooked into preserves, or dried—where their flavor sweetens and mellows.

Q: How does it differ from common English hawthorn?

Fruit: Chinese Hawthorn fruits are typically larger, fleshier, and have a more pronounced sweet-tart flavor perfect for processing.
Culinary Use: It has a much stronger tradition of specific culinary applications (tanghulu, tea) compared to the more ornamental or wild-foraged European species.