Red Sun Chinese Hawthorn

I’m willing to bet the majority of the people buying this tree are overseas Chinese who are nostalgic for a fresh candied Chinese hawthorn, aka bing tang hulu 冰糖葫芦. Folks, this tree is the real deal. After pre-ordering this tree in July 2023, it arrived in February 2024. Religiously following Laura’s instructions to pot and establish the bare root tree, the first year was spent watching a long stick magically become a little tree. The next year, clusters of beautiful white flowers adorned my little tree in the springtime and I transferred it from pot to ground (Northern California, zone 9b). Tiny baby hawthorns fell as the tree was once again establishing itself into the new environment. Despite this, I still ended the season with roughly 60 hawthorns ready for candying and had my first fresh tang hulu in October 2025. And it tastes just like the original.

I’ve since ordered the Big Golden Star variety and anxiously await to compare the 2 (gimme a couple years, though). I’m so grateful to Raintree Nursery for stocking this super rare tree and being able to provide a taste of my heritage all the way on the other side of the ocean.

Healthy tree that is hard to find elsewhere for a very reasonable price!

Started to buds a week later. Thanks you Raintree!!!!

This is the second time that I am buying this tree. I live in zone 8b, and I bought one last year, but July heat and the west sun killed it even though I watered well. I am trying again, and for the last time. After discussing with Laura, the RainTree Horticulturist, via email, I have planted it where it will receive the most afternoon shade (shade is relative since I don't have much shading around my house, and the house will be used as shade as the summer sun cast the shade onto that spot around 3-4 pm). Back to the topic as far as the tree itself, it came about 4 1/2 feet tall with large bare roots and the buds protruding already. Within a week of planting, buds came out. The tree came on 3/18 and I took the below pictures on 4/6. I did pinch off the lower buds as I want it to grow like a tree.

Received this red sun Chinese hawthorn in time for the spring planting. It is packed carefully and shows healthy and strong trunk.