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
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.
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
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.
From your kitchen — grow hawthorn from what you already have
Trees usually mean patience — collect fully ripe seed in fall, clean pulp off, and give most species a cold winter (real or in the fridge) before they'll germinate.
- 1Collect ripe seed/nuts/cones in autumn from a healthy parent.
- 2Clean off any fleshy pulp; dry cones warm to release seed.
- 3Cold-stratify in a bag of damp sand or peat in the fridge (34–41°F) for the time listed on the species.
- 4Sow in deep tree pots and grow on 1–2 seasons before planting to a permanent spot.
Storage: Most tree seed keeps 1–3 years cool and dry; oak/hickory/chestnut nuts must stay damp and be sown promptly.
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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