I Think I Have A Mayhaw!!!

[baymule]

Early this spring, I saw a tree blooming in the wild tangle in the sheep pasture. I use the term pasture loosely, because there was only about a 10' strip of grass down the side. This past week, we have been hacking out green briars and even got the tractor through in two places. We have hauled 5 pickup loads of briar vines out of the "pasture". I can now get close to the tree that was blooming earlier this spring. I saw little clumps of green berries hanging on the branches and got excited! I took pictures and looked up Mayhaws on the internet and I am almost 100% certain I have a Mayhaw tree!

The poor tree is choked with green briar vines. These vines grow straight up into the lowest branches, wrap around them and head for the tops where they rob the sunlight from the tree. We have been cutting them off at the ground and pulling the vines out. We will wait for the fruit to ripen and cut the vines out afterward. There isn't a lot of fruit on the tree, but a lot of cleaning out the briars and a good layer of compost and some TLC ought to sure make a difference for next year.

 

[Smart Red]

Special find, good for you!

 

[so lucky]

I'm going to have to look that up; never heard of it. But good for you!

 

[thistlebloom]

I had to look them up too. So, similar to a crab apple then. Those are some very healthy looking leaves. The article read said they like moisture and grow under hardwood trees. Do you suppose you have a little artesian spring hidden under all that growth?

 

[seedcorn]

If you harvest any, report back. Curious whether they are good or a novelty.

 

[thistlebloom]

Since they are a Hawthorne I'm assuming they have thorns on the branches...shudder..
I'm just not a big fan of thorns on anything.

 

[baymule]

Mayhaws are very tart, I don't know anybody that eats them off the tree. There are cultivated varieties that may be sweeter, but all I ever had were wild ones. I have made jelly from them, but it's been 30 years since I went mayhaw picking. Mayhaw jelly tastes like a rose smells. That's the best description I give.

@thistlebloom there might be a subterranean spring under the tree. In a few places the water table is high. There is a gully that starts on our property, in the back, in a short span it makes a deep cut and there is water running in it most of the winter. There are seeps where the water comes out of the ground in a trickle, I wouldn't call them springs. We recently set some posts on that side of the property and close to the gully, not down in it, but up on high ground, water was in the bottom of the post hole.

 

[thistlebloom]

Mayhaws are very tart, I don't know anybody that eats them off the tree. There are cultivated varieties that may be sweeter, but all I ever had were wild ones. I have made jelly from them, but it's been 30 years since I went mayhaw picking. Mayhaw jelly tastes like a rose smells. That's the best description I give.

@thistlebloom there might be a spring under the tree. In a few places the water table is high. There is a gully that starts on our property, in a short span it makes a deep cut and there is water running in it most of the winter. There are seeps where the water comes out of the ground in a trickle, I wouldn't call them springs. We recently set some posts on that side of the property and close to the gully, not down in it, but up on high ground, water was in the bottom of the post hole.

Rose flavored jelly sounds good!

Having a high water table is a good thing, yes?

 

[baymule]

Yes. But on most of our property, the sand is loose on top and compacted and hard just a few inches down.

 

[PhilaGardener]

Great finds - both the Mayhaw and the potential water sources!