Crataegomespilus dardarii Jules d'Asnière

The Crataegomespilus dardarii 'Jules d'Asnières', sometimes nicknamed Dardar or Bronvaux Medlar 'Jules d'Asnières' is a beautiful deciduous bush created by human hands and found almost exclusively in botanical collections. It is not a hybrid but a graft chimera skillfully combining the characteristics of the monogynous hawthorn with those of the German medlar. Its wide, spreading habit is covered in spring with white and pink flowers, followed by attractive brownish-pink fruits in autumn. It should be planted in a prominent position, in well-drained soil, even limestone and relatively dry in summer.

The Crataegomespilus dardarii belongs to the rose family. It is a variety that appeared after grafting a scion of Mespilus germanica onto a Crataegus monogyna. It was created in France around 1895 in the Dardara garden in Bronvaux, Moselle. Two distinct species coexist intimately in the same "body": for example, the plant may produce a hawthorn branch with small lobed leaves and thorns. The 'Jules d'Asnières' form is considered particularly decorative. It is a bush with a wide, low-spreading habit, not very dense, reaching a minimum height of 2 and 3 m with a spread of 3 m. This variety resembles more a medlar than a hawthorn. In spring, the young shoots are covered with a greyish down. The leaves are hairy, broadly ovate, toothed at the edges, composed of 1 to 3 lobes. They turn yellow in autumn before falling. This bush flowers abundantly in May-June, depending on the climate. The single flowers are grouped in clusters or corymbs of 12 units. They are 3 cm cups that start white and turn pink before fading. This flowering is very popular with bees. After pollination, spherical or slightly elongated fruits form, measuring 1 to 2 cm in diameter, brownish-pink in colour, turning brown.

The Crataegomespilus 'Jules d'Asnières' is planted as a specimen on a lawn or in a bocage hedge with other species of countryside hedges. Choose low-maintenance ground cover plants such as Vinca minor 'Josefine' or macrorrhizum 'Czakor' geranium to dress its base. Pair with apple trees, cherry trees, almond trees, and flowering peach trees for a beautiful display in spring. The vivid smokebush and European spindle colours make a fantastic pairing to its golden hues in autumn.