Crataegus viridis

Common Names

Green Hawthorn, Southern Hawthorn

Summary

Crataegus viridis, Green Hawthorn or Southern Hawthorn, is a deciduous tree native to the southeastern United States, it typically grows 20–35 feet tall with a broad, rounded crown and is largely spineless, though thorns up to about 1.5 inches may occur, fragrant white flowers appear in spring, followed by small red to orange fruit that persists into winter, and the bark on older trunks exfoliates to reveal orange beneath, while glossy dark-green leaves turn red to gold in fall, preferring full sun and well-drained soils, it tolerates a range of soil textures and pH and is hardy to USDA zones 4–8, widely used as an ornamental accent tree, street tree, or hedge, with the popular Winter King cultivar offering larger fruit, more flowers, smaller thorns, and a vase-like habit, often grafted onto Washington hawthorn rootstock, the plant attracts wildlife with nectar for bees and butterflies and fruit for birds, and it shows relatively good disease resistance compared with other hawthorns though cedar hawthorn rust and fire blight can occur, pests such as aphids, borers, caterpillars, and leaf miners may appear, while urban pollution tolerance and suitability for rain gardens support landscape use.

Lifecycle

Perennial

Height

20-35 feet

Spread

240-420 inches

Hardiness Zones

Zones 4-7

Sunlight Requirements

Full Sun to Partial Shade.

Soil Type

Moist, well-drained loamy soil

Soil Drainage

Moist, well-drained soil

Soil pH

No single ideal soil pH; tolerates a wide range from acidic to alkaline.

Bloom Color

White

Bloom Time

Spring

Foliage Color

Dark green

Fall Foliage Color

Bronze, gold, red, purple, scarlet, orange

Leaf Lifecycle

Deciduous

Growth Rate

Slow

Seasons of Interest

Spring, Fall, and Winter

Propagation Methods

Seeds, Cuttings, Grafting

Attracts Wildlife

Bees, butterflies, birds, midges