Black hawthorn – Crataegus douglasii

Pronunciation: kra-tee’-gus dug-lass-ee-eye

Leaf: Various shapes from oval to slightly or moderately lobed. Usually toothed margin.

Bud: Very tiny, roundish, and shiny. Usually red to brown. May be on either side of base of thorn. Not hairy. Approximately six bud scales. True terminal buds.

Leaf Scar: Small, crescent, raised. Three bundle scars. Alternate, simple, 1 1/2 to 4 inches long, ovate or obovate, serrate to large-toothed but entire below the midpoint, subtending long thorns, dark green above and paler below.

Stem: Stems are grayish-brown, slender, and zig-zaggy. Slender, red-brown to gray; buds dark, shiny red and round; bearing obvious, stiff, up to 1 inch long thorns; leaf scars contain 3 bundle scars; spur shoots may be present. Smooth and red-brown when young, later turning gray and scaly.

Pith: Small, round, continuous, pale.

Flower: Perfect, small white flowers 1/4 to 1/2 inch, with 5 petals produced in clusters near the end of the twig, appearing in mid to late spring.

Fruit: Pome (apple-like), Small red to black pomes, 1/4 to 1/2 inch in diameter, maturing in the early fall.

Habit: Thicket-forming deciduous shrub to 10’ tall, or small tree to 35 feet tall with stems to 6 inches in diameter

Culture: Usually low to moderate moisture requirement. Full sun.

Crataegus douglasii - black hawthorn Greek "kratos" (strength - for the wood) / after Scottish botanist David Douglas