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Washington hawthorn

Crataegus phaenopyrum

Washington hawthorn
Photo: Cillas, CC BY-SA 4.0

Washington hawthorn is a small deciduous tree widely grown as an ornamental for its white spring flowers, glossy foliage, and clusters of red fruit. It is tolerant and easy to grow in a sunny spot with well-drained soil.

Family
Rosaceae (Rose family)
Grows as
Tree
Light
Full sun, Part shade
Water
Water deeply during dry spells while establishing, then rely mostly on rainfall.
Soil
Adaptable; prefers well-drained loam, tolerates clay and some drought.
Temperature
Hardy to about -30 °C; cold-hardy in temperate climates.
How easy
Easy
Safety
Not known to be toxic
Edible
Yes, some parts
Native range
SE. Canada to N. & E. U.S.A.
Climate
temperate

About

Crataegus phaenopyrum is a species of hawthorn commonly known as Washington hawthorn or Washington thorn. It is widely grown as an ornamental plant, and can reach 10 m (about 32 feet) in height. The small red berry-like fruit grow closely together in large clusters and are food for squirrels and birds. They have a mild flavor and can be eaten raw or cooked. As with other species of hawthorn, the wood is hard and can be used to make tools.

The fruit is edible and can be made into jelly or crushed to make tea. The species is native to the mid-eastern United States.

Other Crataegus plants

Azarole · Cockspur hawthorn · Harbison's hawthorn · Various Leaved Hawthorn · Midland Hawthorn · Manzanita tejocotera · Downy hawthorn · Hawthorn · Glossy hawthorn · Plumleaf hawthorn · Chinese haw · Dzhungarskei Hawthorn

Text excerpted from the Wikipedia article Crataegus phaenopyrum by its contributors, under CC BY-SA 4.0; the excerpts and the care summary drawn from them are shared under the same licence.

The care summary was written by AI (Claude, Anthropic) from the sources on this page, with general growing knowledge where they are silent. Check before relying on it.

Life form, climate and native range: World Checklist of Vascular Plants, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (CC BY 3.0), reformatted; see Plants of the World Online.

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