''Crataegus azarolus'' is a species of hawthorn known by the common names azarole, azerole (from ) and Mediterranean medlar. It is native to the Mediterranean Basin and is a common plant there, growing on sites comparable to those the European

common hawthorn ''Crataegus monogyna'', known as common hawthorn, whitethorn, one-seed hawthorn, or single-seeded hawthorn, is a species of flowering plant in the rose family, Rosaceae. It grows to about tall, producing hermaphrodite flowers in late spring. Th ...

grows on. In the

Arab countries The Arab world ( '), formally the Arab homeland ( '), also known as the Arab nation ( '), the Arabsphere, or the Arab states, comprises a large group of countries, mainly located in West Asia and North Africa. While the majority of people in ...

it is the most common hawthorn species. When growing in the wild, the azerole bears plentiful crops of haw fruits, which are similar to the haws of the European common hawthorn, but more plump. ''C. azarolus'' is often divided into

subspecies In Taxonomy (biology), biological classification, subspecies (: subspecies) is a rank below species, used for populations that live in different areas and vary in size, shape, or other physical characteristics (Morphology (biology), morpholog ...

varieties Variety may refer to: Arts and entertainment Entertainment formats * Variety (radio) * Variety show, in theater and television Films * ''Variety'' (1925 film), a German silent film directed by Ewald Andre Dupont * ''Variety'' (1935 film), ...

, for example Christensen in his monograph uses four varieties: *''C. azarolus'' var. ''azarolus'' has orange fruit. *''C. azarolus'' var. ''aronia'' , has yellowish fruit often with some red tinges *''C. azarolus'' var. ''chlorocarpa'' has yellowish fruit * ''C. azarolus'' var. ''pontica'' has yellowish or orange fruit ''C. azarolus'' has been used historically for a number of medicinal purposes.

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File:Crataegus azarolus HRM.jpg, Fruit of ''Crataegus azarolus'' File:Hawthorn (Crataegus aronia).jpg, Blossoms of the ''Crataegus azarolus'' var. ''aronia'' File:Frutos del otono.jpg, Orange and yellow azarole fruits displayed alongside common haws,

sloe ''Prunus spinosa'', called blackthorn or sloe, is an Old World species of flowering plant in the rose family, Rosaceae. It is locally naturalized in parts of the New World. The fruits are used to make sloe gin in Britain and patxaran in Ba ...

s and

jujube Jujube (UK ; US or ), sometimes jujuba, scientific name ''Ziziphus jujuba'', and also called red date, Chinese date, and Chinese jujube, is a species in the genus '' Ziziphus'' in the buckthorn family Rhamnaceae. It is often confused wit ...

s. File:Crataegus azarolus.jpg, Botanical illustration from Duhamel du Monceau, H.L. 1768. ''Traité des arbres fruitiers'' File:Hawthorn blossoms (Crataegus aronia).jpg, ''Crataegus azarolus'' var. ''aronia'' in bloom

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Further reading