Crataegus sp.

COMMON NAME: Hawthorn

FAMILY: Rose Family; Rosaceae

GROWTH HABIT: Small trees or shrubs, usually with thorns in the axils of the leaves and have small, apple-like fruits.

FOLIAGE: Simple-leaved with thorns in the axils of the leaves.

BUDS: Small and rounded.

BARK: Usually armed with slender, numerous 1 1/2 to 3 inch long thorns.

FLOWERS: Perfect, 1/2 to 2/3 inch in diameter. white. Blooms in May for 7 - 10 days, Borne in 2-3 inch diameter float groups of flowers.

FRUIT: Pome-like droops, deep red, 3/8 tp 1/2 inch in diameter; ripening in late September or October and persisting into late fall.

NATURAL HISTORY: As a group these plants are virtually indistinguishable as species to all except the few botanists who have given the genus special study. Frequent hybridization complicated by great individual variation confounds accurate identification. the number of species of hawthorns in this country has been variously determined as over 1000 and as less than 100.