Crataegus suksdorfii

Common Names

Suksdorf's Hawthorn, Black Hawthorn

Summary

Crataegus suksdorfii, Suksdorf's Hawthorn, also Crataegus gaylussacia, is a native western North American tree or shrub in the Rosaceae that forms a multi-stemmed habit with tan to gray twigs and long thorns, and deciduous, glandular leaves elliptic to obovate with glandular-serrate margins. In spring it bears inflorescences of 7–15 white flowers, followed by dark purple-black pomes about 8–10 mm in diameter (about 1 cm); the plant grows in moist riparian thickets and wetlands from Alaska to California and east to Idaho and Montana, and is a diploid with 20 stamens per flower. It is a host plant for dozens of butterfly and moth species and is visited by diverse Bombus species, underscoring its pollinator value.

Cultivation and uses: Crataegus suksdorfii occurs in moist sites in open areas, forest edges, and along streams, tolerating full sun to full shade and a range of soils; its dense, multi-stemmed form provides erosion control and wildlife habitat, with fruit eaten by birds and mammals. Propagation is best from fresh seed sown outdoors in fall, with scarification and warm/cold stratification, and seeds can be stored for up to 10 years; root suckers can be transplanted. Ideal outplanting sites are clay soils with ample water, though invasion of wet prairies necessitates management to protect prairie habitats; it is suitable for restoration plantings, hedgerows, and native landscaping.

Lifecycle

Perennial

Height

20-45 feet

Spread

10-33 feet

Sunlight Requirements

Ideally full Sun, tolerates Partial Shade and Full Shade

Soil Type

Moist soil

Soil Drainage

Moist soil

Bloom Color

White

Bloom Time

Spring

Foliage Color

Green

Fall Foliage Color

Red-orange

Leaf Lifecycle

Deciduous

Growth Rate

Fast

Seasons of Interest

Spring, Summer, Fall, and Winter

Propagation Methods

Seed propagation

Attracts Wildlife

Attracts bees, hummingbirds, butterflies, other pollinators, and birds