Tejocote Fruit Plant (Crataegus mexicana)

Common Name: Mexican hawthorn, Manzanita tejocotera

Botanical Name: Crataegus mexicana

General Information:

Thorny, deciduous shrub or tree, reaching 4 - 7 meters in height, occasionally up to 10 meters.

Native to Mexico. Often cultivated, especially in Mexico, as a fruit crop. Commonly harvested from the wild for local use.

Occasionally grown as an ornamental. Fruits can be eaten raw or processed into marmalade, jam, jelly, and syrup.

Yellow fruit, up to 20mm in diameter, mealy and juicy with a slightly apple-like flavor. Rich in vitamin C. Used in traditional medicine.

Medicinal Uses:

Tejocote's fruit, leaves, flower, root, and stem bark contain chemicals with high healing value against diseases like cough and chest congestion.

Traditionally used in folk medicine.

The fruit is used in traditional medicine to address respiratory diseases.

Cultivation Details:

Bloom Time/Fruiting: 4 to 5 Years

Maintenance Required: Moderate