Hawthorn
Also known as: Crataegus · Russian Hawthorn · Azarole · Mediterranean Medlar · Blue Haw · Blue Hawthorn · Blueberry Hawthorn · Chlorosarca Hawthorn · Manchurian Hawthorn · Thornless Cockspur Hawthorn · Black Hawthorn · Douglas Hawthorn · Douglas' thornapple · River Hawthorn · English Hawthorn · Mayflower · Midland Hawthorn · Smooth Hawthorn · Woodland Hawthorn · Large-thorn Hawthorn · Parsley Hawthorn · Downy Hawthorn · Common Hawthorn · Oneseed Hawthorn · Singleseed Hawthorn · Mayhaw · Riverflat Hawthorn · Western Mayhaw · Thornapple · Washington Hawthorn · Chinese Hawthorn · Yellow Dotted Hawthorn · Yellow-berried Hawthorn · Fleshy Hawthorn · Winter King Green Hawthorn
Severely poisonous
17 types of hawthorn
Azarole (C. azarolus)
N/Aalso: Mediterranean Medlar, Crataegus azarolus
Mediterranean species with large edible fruit used for jellies and preserves.
Blue Hawthorn (C. brachyacantha)
N/Aalso: Blue Haw, Blueberry Hawthorn, Crataegus brachyacantha
Southern U.S. species with distinctive blue-black fruit.
Chinese Hawthorn (C. pinnatifida)
N/Aalso: Crataegus pinnatifida
Asian species with red fruit used fresh, dried, and in traditional medicine.
Common Hawthorn (C. monogyna)
N/Aalso: Oneseed Hawthorn, Singleseed Hawthorn, Crataegus monogyna
European hedgerow species; invasive in some regions. White flowers, red haws.
Douglas Hawthorn (C. douglasii)
N/Aalso: Black Hawthorn, Douglas' thornapple, River Hawthorn, Crataegus douglasii
Western North American native with black fruit and thorny branches.
Downy Hawthorn (C. mollis)
N/Aalso: Crataegus mollis
Native tree with downy young leaves, large white flowers, and red fruit.
English Hawthorn (C. laevigata)
N/Aalso: Mayflower, Midland Hawthorn, Smooth Hawthorn, Woodland Hawthorn, Crataegus laevigata
European classic with pink or white spring blooms and red haws.
Fleshy Hawthorn (C. succulenta)
N/Aalso: Crataegus succulenta
Native shrub or small tree with fleshy red fruit and thorny branches.
Large-thorn Hawthorn (C. macracantha)
N/Aalso: Crataegus macracantha
Species noted for exceptionally long thorns and white flower clusters.
Manchurian Hawthorn (C. chlorosarca)
N/Aalso: Chlorosarca Hawthorn, Crataegus chlorosarca
Asian species with white flowers and red fruit; very cold hardy.
Mayhaw (C. opaca)
N/Aalso: Riverflat Hawthorn, Western Mayhaw, Crataegus opaca
Southern U.S. wetland species with tart fruit prized for jelly.
Parsley Hawthorn (C. marshallii)
N/Aalso: Crataegus marshallii
Southeastern U.S. species with finely cut parsley-like leaves.
Russian Hawthorn (C. ambigua)
N/Aalso: Crataegus ambigua
Cold-hardy species with white flowers and small red fruit.
Thornless Cockspur Hawthorn (C. crus-galli var. Inermis)
N/Aalso: Crataegus crus-galli var. Inermis
Popular thornless cultivar with glossy leaves and abundant white flowers.
Washington Hawthorn (C. phaenopyrum)
N/Aalso: Thornapple, Crataegus phaenopyrum
Native tree with glossy leaves, white flowers, and persistent red berries.
Winter King Green Hawthorn (C. viridis 'Winter King')
N/Aalso: Crataegus viridis 'Winter King'
Popular cultivar with silver bark, few thorns, and heavy crops of large red fruit.
Yellow-berried Hawthorn (C. punctata var. aurea)
N/Aalso: Yellow Dotted Hawthorn, Crataegus punctata var. aurea
Yellow-berried form of dotted hawthorn with attractive fall color.
When & where
Germination
Spacing & depth
How to plant
Macerate ripe fruit to extract seed, clean thoroughly, and cold-stratify 120–180 days. Sow in deep pots; many species need a warm period followed by cold. Transplant seedlings to a sunny site.
Pre-sow treatment
Cold stratify 120–240 days at 34–41°F; some species need warm-cold-warm cycles.
Grower's tip
Hawthorns are excellent wildlife trees with spring flowers, thorny protective branches, and persistent fruit. Many species have edible fruit for jellies.
Woody plant facts
Good to know before you grow this
Can spread aggressively and is invasive in some regions — check your local invasive-species list before planting.
Soil preferences
Deep, well-drained native soil. Avoid amending the planting hole heavily — roots should learn to grow into the surrounding earth.
5.5–7.5 depending on species (conifers lean acidic; most hardwoods neutral).
Top-dress with compost and mulch in a wide ring; don't backfill with pure compost.
Watering
Deep soak weekly the first two years while roots establish; taper once the tree self-supports.
Slow trickle at the drip line, not the trunk. A 5-gal bucket with a pinhole is ideal.
Overwatered: yellowing, root rot, mushroom collar. Underwatered: leaf scorch, early leaf drop.
Prefers top-watering — Top-water deeply at the base in the morning. Wet leaves at night cause blackspot and powdery mildew.
Temperature tolerance
Broad — most species tolerate 40–90°F once established
Down to species-rated USDA zone minimum
Hardy once established; young seedlings need protection their first winter.
Special germination requirements
Most temperate tree seed needs cold stratification (30–120+ days at 34–41°F) — see each species entry for the exact time.
Container growing
Possible with the right cultivar
Deep tree pots (root trainers) for the first 1–2 seasons; permanent site required for full growth.
Only dwarf, patio, or bonsai forms live long-term in containers.
Detailed harvesting
Not applicable for ornamental/timber trees. Nut and fruit species — pick when they drop naturally.
Post-harvest storage & preservation
Nuts: keep damp and cool, sow promptly. Winged/coned seed: dry, cool, dark in a sealed jar.
Culinary, medicinal & other uses
Only safe once properly prepared — raw fruit, seeds, leaves and stems of this plant make people sick. Cook or process it before eating, and discard pits, seeds and stems. Shade, windbreak, wildlife habitat, timber, ornament, and long-term carbon storage.
Medicinal or traditional uses are shared for interest only — this is not medical advice. Consult a qualified professional before using any plant medicinally.
Seed saving
Wind- or insect-pollinated; seedlings rarely match the parent exactly (especially named cultivars — those must be grafted or cutting-grown).
Not practical for trees. Expect variation.
Collect fully ripe seed in fall, clean, dry or keep damp per species, then cold-stratify before spring sowing.
Your zone's planting calendar
Pick your USDA hardiness zone and we'll estimate the key dates for hawthorn in your area. These are regional averages — always check your own last-frost forecast before sowing.
My Hawthorn notes
Hawthorn seeds on hand
Track packets and loose seeds you already have. Private to your account.
Par level — leave at 0 for no alert. Anything below par shows on Seed Starting and your shopping list.
Order more seeds
Running low? Reorder from one of these seed stores.
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