About Crataegus pinnatifida Bunge
Crataegus pinnatifida Bunge, also commonly called mountain hawthorn, Chinese haw, Chinese hawthorn, or Chinese hawberry, is both a small to medium-sized tree and the edible fruit produced by this tree. The fruit of Crataegus pinnatifida is bright red, and measures 1.5 inches (38 mm) in diameter. In culinary use within northern Chinese cuisine, ripe C. pinnatifida fruits are key ingredients in the traditional desserts tanghulu and shanzhagao. The fruit is also processed to make the traditional confections haw flakes and haw rolls, alongside candied fruit slices, jam, jelly, and wine. It has also historically been used as a finishing ingredient in Cantonese sweet and sour sauce, though ketchup has partially replaced it in this role in modern times. In traditional Chinese medicine, the dried fruits of C. pinnatifida have long been used as a digestive aid.
