Habitat

• native eastern United States down through Texas
• hardy to zone 4

Habit and Form

• a deciduous tree
• 25' to 30' tall
• rounded, wide-spreading crown
• slow growth rate
• medium texture

Summer Foliage

• simple, deciduous leaves
• alternate leaf arrangement
• ovate leaf shape
• up to 3.5" long
• lobed
• serrated leaf margins
• dark green leaf color

Autumn Foliage

• purplish red fall color

Flowers

• white flowers
• blooms in late May
• flowers clustered in 2" corymbs

Fruit

• small, bright red pome
• 0.25" in diameter
• held in clusters
• matures in mid-September
• persist through the winter
• birds eat the fruit

Bark

• grayish brown bark
• apple-like
• thorns are 1.5" long
• peeling bark exposing orange inner bark

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

ID Features

• 1.5" long thorns along stems
• a medium-sized deciduous tree
• 25' to 30' tall and 20' to 25' wide
• broad, rounded tree
• simple, lobed leaves

Propagation

• by cuttings

Cultivars/Varieties

'Winter King' - A form that has burst onto the market in recent years, won many awards and been embraced by observers. The fall/winter fruit show can be spectacular, with red pomes that are profuse and persist late into the season. The habit is rounded, to 20' tall and wider, and the plant develops good fall color. White spring flowers and distinct gray bark are added assets. This plant is probably the most commonly available hawthorn on the market.