The fruiting bodies of the Hawthorn or Maythorn, the Haws, are not berries either. These are POMES also.
These are produced by the hermaphrodite May Blossom (the white flowers of the Maythorn) being pollinated by midges mainly.
"Ne'er cast a cloot 'til May is oot".
I'm sure you will have heard that old Scottish saying. What it actually means is NOT "Never cast off your winter clothes until the month of May is out" BUT- "Never shed your winter garments until the MAY BLOSSOM is out".
The young leaves of the Hawthorn are good in salads. The haws themselves are used to make wine, jelly and to add flavour to brandy. Hawthorn jelly or hawthorn flakes are used to aid the digestion of large amounts of meat in Chinese medicine, and form a large part of the winter Thrushes' diet (Redwing and Fieldfare).
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