- berries are called 'haws'.
- haws are tastless, with a texture that is mealy/seedy.
- haws can be dried for storage.
- haws can be mashed into a pulp, cooked and then spread to dry into cakes once the seeds have been strained out.
- haws contains high levels of pectin, which benefits making jams.
- plant is a shrub or small tree, 6-11 meters tall with long sturdy thorns.
- grows in open woodland, forest edges and road-sides in lowland and montane regions.
- varieties in Ontario are Cockspur hawthorn (Crataegus crus-galli), Downy hawthorn (Crataegus mollis), Fleshy hawthorn (Crataegus succulenta) and Black hawthorn (Crataegus douglasii).
- warning: thorn scratches to the eyes usually results in blindness. Blood pressure and heartrate may be affected by consuming berries.
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