Plant Guide

Crataegus douglasii Lindl.
black hawthorn
CRDO2

Summary
Duration	Perennial
Growth Habit	Tree, Shrub
U.S. Nativity	Native to U.S.
Federal T/E Status
National Wetland Indicator	FAC

Morphology/Physiology
Active Growth Period	Spring, Summer, Fall
After Harvest Regrowth Rate
Bloat	Low
C:N Ratio	High
Coppice Potential	Yes
Fall Conspicuous	Yes
Fire Resistant	No
Flower Color	White
Flower Conspicuous	Yes
Foliage Color	Green
Foliage Porosity Summer	Dense
Foliage Porosity Winter	Porous
Foliage Texture	Medium
Fruit/Seed Color	Black
Fruit/Seed Conspicuous	Yes
Growth Form	Thicket Forming
Growth Rate	Moderate
Height at 20 Years, Maximum (feet)	15
Height, Mature (feet)	25
Known Allelopath	No
Leaf Retention	No
Lifespan	Moderate
Low Growing Grass	No
Nitrogen Fixation
Resprout Ability	Yes
Shape and Orientation	Erect
Toxicity	None

Growth Requirements
Adapted to Coarse Textured Soils	Yes
Adapted to Fine Textured Soils	Yes
Adapted to Medium Textured Soils	Yes
Anaerobic Tolerance	Medium
CaCO3 Tolerance	Low
Cold Stratification Required	Yes
Drought Tolerance	Low
Fertility Requirement	Low
Fire Tolerance	High
Frost Free Days, Minimum	120
Hedge Tolerance	High
Moisture Use	High
pH, Minimum	6.5
pH, Maximum	7.5
Planting Density per Acre, Minimum	200
Planting Density per Acre, Maximum	1000
Precipitation, Minimum	16
Precipitation, Maximum	260
Root Depth, Minimum (inches)	12
Salinity Tolerance	None
Shade Tolerance	Intermediate
Temperature, Minimum (°F)	-29

Reproduction
Bloom Period	Mid Spring
Commercial Availability	Routinely Available
Fruit/Seed Abundance	Medium
Fruit/Seed Period Begin	Spring
Fruit/Seed Period End	Fall
Fruit/Seed Persistence	Yes
Propagated by Bare Root	Yes
Propagated by Bulb	No
Propagated by Container	Yes
Propagated by Corm	No
Propagated by Cuttings	Yes
Propagated by Seed	Yes
Propagated by Sod	No
Propagated by Sprigs	No
Propagated by Tubers	No
Seed per Pound	20033
Seed Spread Rate	Moderate
Seedling Vigor	High
Small Grain	No
Vegetative Spread Rate	Moderate

Suitability/Use
Berry/Nut/Seed Product	Yes
Christmas Tree Product	No
Fodder Product	No
Fuelwood Product	Low
Lumber Product	Yes
Naval Store Product	No
Nursery Stock Product	No
Palatable Browse Animal	High
Palatable Graze Animal	High
Palatable Human	Yes
Post Product	Yes
Protein Potential	Low
Pulpwood Product	No
Veneer Product	No

Kingdom Plantae -- Plants

Subkingdom Tracheobionta -- Vascular plants

Superdivision Spermatophyta -- Seed plants

Division Magnoliophyta -- Flowering plants

Class Magnoliopsida -- Dicotyledons

Subclass Rosidae

Order Rosales

Family Rosaceae -- Rose family

Genus Crataegus L. -- hawthorn P

Species Crataegus douglasii Lindl. -- black hawthorn P

Alternative Name

Douglas hawthorn

Uses

Erosion Control: Because it tolerates a wide variety of sites, black hawthorn can be planted to stabilize banks, for shelterbelts, and for erosion control along ditches and highways.

Timber: Although the wood is hard and strong, it has no commercial value except for tool handles and other small items.

Wildlife: It provides abundant food and cover for game birds such as the blue and sharp-tailed grouse. The mule deer, small mammals and other wildlife species feed on the leaves and twigs of young seedlings or trees. Livestock readily eats its leaves if accessible.

Beautification: Ideal for biological barriers between recreational areas and physical structures.

Status

Please consult the PLANTS Web site and your State Department of Natural Resources for this plant’s current status, such as, state noxious status and wetland indicator values.

Description

It is a large shrub or small tree that can grow to thirty-five feet tall, with straight, strong but few thorns ranging from 0.5 to 1 inch long. Stems are usually clustered from the base or from a point just above the ground surface. Leaves are smooth, long, broad, dark green, shiny, and serrated at the tip. Flowers are globe-shaped and in small clusters produced in the spring. Its fruits are dark reddish-purple to black.

Distribution: Crataegus douglasii, black hawthorn, is widespread in the Pacific Northwest, from southeastern Alaska south through British Columbia to northern California.

Adaptation

Black hawthorn generally occurs on deep, moist, fine-textured soils, at lower elevations ranging from 2,200–5,400 ft. Although it will succeed in partial shade and different soil types, it grows best in full sunlight with sufficient moisture levels. It is predominantly an understory species and seldom found in pure stands. It is fire tolerant and will re-sprout and produce suckers following fire disturbance.

Establishment

Propagation from Seed or Grafting: Black hawthorn can be propagated by either seeds or grafting. To increase percent germination, seeds require acid scarification for 0.5 to 3 hours, followed by 84 to 112 days of cold treatment. Seeds are planted early in the fall, in drill rows 8 to 12 inches apart and covered with 1/4 inch of soil. Seedlings must not be kept in the nursery longer than a year. Approximate seed per pound: 22,600.

Containerized trees should be planted when they are no more than eight feet tall, in the fall or spring. Balled and burlapped trees should be planted in early spring.

Grafting on seedling stock of Crataegus oxyacantha or Crataegus monogyna is best carried out in the winter to early spring.

Management

Because it develops long taproot, it should not be kept in seedbeds more than one year. Pruning should be done in the winter or early spring in order to maintain a clear shoot leader on young trees and/or remove the weakest branches to allow more light to pass through. Suckers or stems arising from the roots should be removed when they become noticeable. Limited agriculture/livestock can help maintain and protect black hawthorn thickets as important source of food and cover for wildlife.

Pest and Potential Problems

Although pests and diseases seldom affect it, it is susceptible to fireblight, cedar-hawthorn rust, cedar-quince rust, leaf blight, fruit rot, and leaf spot.

Cultivars, Improved and Selected Materials (and area of origin)

Consult you local nurseries to choose the right cultivar for your specific landscape. Seeds and seedlings are commercially available at forest seed companies. Contact your local Natural Resources Conservation Service (formerly Soil Conservation Service) office for more information. Look in the phone book under ”United States Government.” The Natural Resources Conservation Service will be listed under the subheading “Department of Agriculture.”

References

Dirr, M.A. 1990. Manual of woody landscape plants: their identification, ornamental characteristics, culture, propagation and uses. 3^rd ed. Stipes, Champaign, Illinois.

Duncan, W.H. & M.B. Duncan 1988. Trees of the Southeastern United States. University of Georgia Press, Athens, Georgia.

Elias, T.S. 1989. Field guide to North American trees. Revised ed. Grolier Book Clubs Inc., Danbury, Connecticut.

Flint, H.L. 1983. Landscape plants for eastern North America. John Wiley and Sons, Inc, New York, New York.

Harrar, E.S. & J.G. Harrar. 1962. Guide to southern trees. 2^nd ed. Dover Publications, Inc., New York, New York.

Little, E.E. 1996. National Audubon Society field guide to North American trees: Eastern region. Alfred A. Knopf, New York, New York.

USDA Forest Service 1974. Seeds of woody plants in the United States. Agricultural Handbook 450. USDA, Washington, DC.

USDA Forest Service 1990. Silvics of North America. Agricultural Handbook 654. Forest Service, USDA, Washington, DC.

Young, J. A. & C.G. Young. 1992. Seeds of woody plants in North America. Revised and enlarged ed. Dioscorides Press, Portland, Oregon.

Prepared By

Alfredo "Fred" B. Lorenzo

Formerly Southern University and A&M College, College of Agricultural, Family and Consumer Sciences, Baton Rouge, LA 70813

Species Coordinator

Lincoln M. Moore

USDA, NRCS, National Plant Data Center, Baton Rouge, Louisiana

Edited: 10jan02 jsp; 25feb03 ahv; 05jun06 jsp

For more information about this and other plants, please contact your local NRCS field office or Conservation District, and visit the PLANTS Web site<https://plants.usda.gov> or the Plant Materials Program Web site <https://Plant-Materials.nrcs.usda.gov>

Attribution: U.S. Department of Agriculture