Yellow Tejocote

Crataegus mexicana. Large shrub or small tree 5-10 meters (15-33 feet) tall, occasionally to 10 meters. Dense crown. Robust branchlets with straight stout thorns 3.5-5cm long. Deciduous leathery leaves 3.5-7.5 cm long, lanceolate to elliptic, pubescent upper surface, tomentose lower surface (especially veins), 6-8 secondary veins, unlobed margin, finely to coarsely serrate, acute apex. Semi-evergreen to evergreen in mild climates.

Yellow to golden or copper-orange spherical to turbinate pomes, 1.2-2.5cm (up to 20mm) diameter. Larger and most useful fruit among hawthorns. Mild flavor with apple undertones. Dense, dry, mealy-juicy flesh reminiscent of quince but smoother. Tropical flavor notes of fruit punch, apples, pineapple. Less astringent than northern hawthorns. Contains 3-5 hard brown seeds (stones). Ripens October to end of January. Eaten raw, cooked, canned. 

Native to the mountains of Mexico and Guatemala, especially Puebla state (major producer - 5,336 tons harvested 2019). Introduced in Andes. Name "tejocote" from Nahuatl word texocotl ("stone fruit"). Also called manzanita ("little apple") or manzanilla in Guatemala, tejocotera. Extensively cultivated, especially in Mexico, for fruit crop and used to make Ponche'.