Mayhaw is the name given to the

fruit In botany, a fruit is the seed-bearing structure in flowering plants that is formed from the ovary after flowering. Fruits are the means by which flowering plants (also known as angiosperms) disseminate their seeds. Edible fruits in partic ...

of the species of ''Crataegus'' series ''Aestivales''Phipps, J.B.; O’Kennon, R.J.; Lance, R.W. 2003. ''Hawthorns and medlars''. Royal Horticultural Society, Cambridge, U.K. that are common in

wetland A wetland is a distinct ecosystem that is flooded or saturated by water, either permanently (for years or decades) or seasonally (for weeks or months). Flooding results in oxygen-free (anoxic) processes prevailing, especially in the soils. The ...

s throughout the

southern United States The Southern United States (sometimes Dixie, also referred to as the Southern States, the American South, the Southland, or simply the South) is a geographic and cultural region of the United States of America. It is between the Atlantic Ocean ...

. The principal species are '' C. aestivalis'', the eastern mayhaw, and ''C. opaca'', the western mayhaw. Mayhaws grow in moist soil in river and creek bottoms under hardwood trees. The fruit is also found in

bayou In usage in the Southern United States, a bayou () is a body of water typically found in a flat, low-lying area. It may refer to an extremely slow-moving stream, river (often with a poorly defined shoreline), marshy lake, wetland, or creek. The ...

s surrounding lakes, such as

Caddo Lake Caddo Lake (french: Lac Caddo) is a lake and bayou (wetland) on the border between Texas and Louisiana, in northern Harrison County and southern Marion County in Texas and western Caddo Parish in Louisiana. The lake is named after the Caddoans ...

on the

Texas Texas (, ; Spanish language, Spanish: ''Texas'', ''Tejas'') is a state in the South Central United States, South Central region of the United States. At 268,596 square miles (695,662 km2), and with more than 29.1 million residents in 2 ...

Louisiana Louisiana , group=pronunciation (French: ''La Louisiane'') is a U.S. state, state in the Deep South and South Central United States, South Central regions of the United States. It is the List of U.S. states and territories by area, 20th-smal ...

border. The fruit ripens in late April through May, thus the name may-haw. Mayhaws are often collected out of the water from boats, and the fruit is used to make jelly. Families would go on outings to collect mayhaws and create stockpiles of the jelly to last throughout the year, but the tradition has declined with the increasing urbanization of the South and the destruction of the mayhaw's native habitat. The fruit has also been cultivated to grow outside of wetlands, and this is increasingly the source of the jelly.

In culture

Many communities associate themselves with the fruit because of its reputation as a celebrated delicacy of Southern U.S. cuisine. For example, Colquitt, Georgia, holds a mayhaw festival in April.

Daisetta, Texas Daisetta is a city in Liberty County, Texas, United States. The population was 923 at the 2020 census. History The city was named after residents Daisy Barrett and Etta White.El Dorado, Arkansas El Dorado, founded by Matthew Rainey, is a city in, and the county seat of, Union County, on the southern border of Arkansas, United States. According to the 2010 census, the population of the city is 18,884. El Dorado is headquarters of the Ark ...

;

Marion, Louisiana Marion is a town in Union Parish, Louisiana, United States. The population was 765 at the 2010 census, a decrease from 806 at the 2000 census. This population includes the village of Truxno in the northwestern corner of the city limits. It is ...

; and

Starks, Louisiana Starks is an unincorporated community and census-designated place (CDP) in Calcasieu Parish, Louisiana, United States. As of the 2010 census it had a population of 664. It is located approximately northwest of Lake Charles and about from the T ...

, all celebrate a mayhaw festival each May.

References

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External links

National Center for Home Food Preservation - Mayhaw JellyThe Official Daisetta, Texas Mayhaw Festival WebsiteLouisiana Mayhaw Association
Crataegus Edible fruits Cuisine of the Southern United States Jams and jellies