Habitat

• native to Europe
• hardy to zone 4

Habit and Form

• a deciduous tree
• 15' to 20' tall with an equal spread
• rounded tree crown
• slow growth rate
• medium texture

Summer Foliage

• alternate leaf arrangement
• simple, deciduous leaves
• 2.5" long
• lobed, rounded
• serrulate leaf margins
• dark green leaf color

Autumn Foliage

• not ornamentally important

Flowers

• white flowers
• blooms in mid May
• flowers borne in corymbs

Fruit

• a red pome
• 0.5" in diameter
• matures early to mid fall
• birds eat fruit

Bark

• grayish brown bark
• apple-like
• zigzag stem pattern
• 1" long thorns along branches

Culture

• easy to grow
• prefers moist, fertile soil
• prune tolerant
• full sun is best

Landscape Use

• specimen tree
• screen border
• prune into hedge

Liabilities

• thorns can be hazardous
• tends to have many pest problems similar to apple trees
• hawthorn leaf spot and blight (Entomosporium)

ID Features

• 1" long thorns along stems
• a medium-sized deciduous tree
• 15' to 20' tall and 15' to 20' wide
• broad, rounded tree
• serrulate leaf margins
• simple, lobed leaves

Propagation

• by cuttings

Cultivars/Varieties

'Crimson Cloud' - A form with red flowers that are single and contain a white region in the center. The fruit is shiny red, and the plant is supposedly more resistant to leaf blight than 'Paul's Scarlet'.

'Paul's Scarlet' (also known as 'Paulii') - This common cultivar features double flowers that are dark rose to red. It's stunning in flower, but very susceptible to hawthorn leaf spot and blight. Grows to 20' tall.

'Snowbird' (C. x mordenensis) - This plant is a Canadian selection of a hybrid with C. succulenta. The flowers are white and double, but fruit set is reportedly less than other forms. Also may be hardier than 'Toba', but disease resistance accounts vary widely, with some observers claiming severe leaf spot defoliation.

'Toba' (C. x mordenensis) - This plant is a Canadian selection of a hybrid with C. succulenta. It features double white blooms that age to pink and red fruit. The 12'-15' tall plants are marketed as being leaf spot-resistant, but reports vary on this account.