24 Hawthorn Tree Varieties for Gardens, Fruit and Wildlife

The best hawthorns for gardens are Washington hawthorn, ‘Winter King’, thornless cockspur and Lavalle hawthorn. They are small trees, 20 to 30 feet tall, with white spring flowers, red or orange fruit that lasts into winter, and good disease resistance. For pink or red flowers, choose an English hawthorn variety such as ‘Crimson Cloud’ or ‘Paul’s Scarlet’. For fruit you can eat, grow a mayhaw, Chinese hawthorn, azarole or tejocote. And for wildlife, plant one of the many native hawthorns, whose thorny branches shelter nesting birds.

Hawthorns (Crataegus) are members of the rose family, related to apples and pears, with a few hundred species across the temperate Northern Hemisphere and especially in North America. Most are small trees or large shrubs with lobed or toothed leaves, clusters of five-petaled white flowers in late spring and small, apple-like fruits called haws. Most have sharp thorns 1 to 3 inches long. The fruits are edible, mostly cooked in jellies and syrups, but the seeds contain cyanide-forming compounds and should not be eaten. Most hawthorns are hardy in zones 4 to 8, thrive in full sun and tolerate poor, dry or compacted soil.

• Best Hawthorns for Gardens and Streets
• Hawthorns Grown for Fruit
• Native North American Hawthorns for Wildlife
• How to Grow Hawthorns

Hawthorn	Botanical name	Height	Fruit	Thorns
Washington Hawthorn	Crataegus phaenopyrum	25–30 ft	Small, glossy red; lasts all winter	Yes, 1–3 in
‘Winter King’	Crataegus viridis ‘Winter King’	20–30 ft	Large, orange-red; lasts into winter	Few
Cockspur Hawthorn	Crataegus crus-galli	20–30 ft	Dull red	Yes, 2–3 in
Thornless Cockspur Hawthorn	Crataegus crus-galli var. inermis	20–30 ft	Dull red	No
Lavalle Hawthorn	Crataegus × lavallei	15–25 ft	Large, orange-red; lasts into winter	Few, short
‘Crimson Cloud’	Crataegus laevigata ‘Crimson Cloud’	15–20 ft	Bright red	Yes
‘Paul’s Scarlet’	Crataegus laevigata ‘Paul’s Scarlet’	15–20 ft	Few	Yes
English Hawthorn	Crataegus laevigata	15–25 ft	Red, with 2–3 seeds	Yes
Common Hawthorn	Crataegus monogyna	20–30 ft	Red, with 1 seed	Yes
‘Ohio Pioneer’	Crataegus punctata ‘Ohio Pioneer’	20–25 ft	Red	No
Mayhaws	Crataegus aestivalis and C. opaca	20–30 ft	Red or yellow; ripens in May	Yes
Chinese Hawthorn	Crataegus pinnatifida	15–20 ft	Large, red, dotted	Few or none
Azarole	Crataegus azarolus	15–25 ft	Yellow, orange or red; apple-flavored	Few
Tejocote	Crataegus mexicana	15–30 ft	Yellow-orange, 1 in	Some
Downy Hawthorn	Crataegus mollis	20–30 ft	Large, red; ripens late summer	Yes
Arnold Hawthorn	Crataegus arnoldiana	20–25 ft	Large, bright red; ripens in August	Yes, 2–3 in
Dotted Hawthorn	Crataegus punctata	20–30 ft	Red or yellow, with pale dots	Yes
Scarlet Hawthorn	Crataegus coccinea	20–25 ft	Scarlet	Yes
Black Hawthorn	Crataegus douglasii	15–25 ft	Black-purple	Yes, short
Fireberry Hawthorn	Crataegus chrysocarpa	10–20 ft	Red, sometimes yellow	Yes
Frosted Hawthorn	Crataegus pruinosa	15–20 ft	Green to red, with a waxy bloom	Yes
Pear Hawthorn	Crataegus calpodendron	15–20 ft	Small, orange-red	Few or none
One-Flower Hawthorn	Crataegus uniflora	3–10 ft	Yellow to reddish	Yes
River Hawthorn	Crataegus rivularis	10–20 ft	Black-purple	Yes

Best Hawthorns for Gardens and Streets

Washington Hawthorn (Crataegus phaenopyrum)

Washington hawthorn is a native of the southeastern U.S. and one of the best hawthorns for four-season interest. It is the last hawthorn to flower, in early summer, with flat clusters of white flowers. In fall it has orange to scarlet leaves and heavy clusters of small, shiny red fruits that hang on through winter until birds eat them. It is a rounded tree 25 to 30 feet tall with slender, very sharp thorns, and it is hardy in zones 4 to 8. Its three-lobed leaves look a bit like maple leaves. It can get cedar-hawthorn rust where junipers grow nearby.

‘Winter King’ (Crataegus viridis ‘Winter King’)

‘Winter King’ is a selection of green hawthorn, a native of the southeastern U.S., and is often called the best hawthorn for landscapes. It has larger fruit than most, bright orange-red and lasting well into winter, and silvery-gray bark that flakes to show orange patches underneath. It has few thorns and good resistance to rust and leaf diseases. The vase-shaped tree grows 20 to 30 feet tall and is hardy in zones 4 to 7.

Cockspur Hawthorn (Crataegus crus-galli)

Cockspur hawthorn is a native of eastern North America with a wide, flat-topped crown of nearly horizontal branches, often wider than it is tall. It has glossy, unlobed leaves that turn orange and red in fall, white flowers in late spring and dark red fruit. Its thorns are the longest of any common hawthorn, up to 3 inches. It is tough, drought-tolerant and hardy in zones 4 to 7.

Thornless Cockspur Hawthorn (Crataegus crus-galli var. inermis)

Thornless cockspur hawthorn is the same tree as the cockspur above but without thorns, which makes it one of the most planted hawthorns for streets, parking lots and yards with children. It has the same wide, flat crown, glossy leaves and good fall color. ‘Crusader’ is a popular thornless cultivar.

Lavalle Hawthorn (Crataegus × lavallei)

Lavalle hawthorn is a hybrid that appeared in France in the 1870s. It is an upright, oval tree 15 to 25 feet tall with glossy, dark green, unlobed leaves that turn bronze-red late in fall. It has white flowers in spring and large, orange-red fruits speckled with brown dots that stay on the tree into winter. It has few thorns and is used as a street tree in zones 5 to 7. The form usually sold is ‘Carrierei’.

‘Crimson Cloud’ (Crataegus laevigata ‘Crimson Cloud’)

‘Crimson Cloud’ is a variety of English hawthorn with bright red, single flowers, each with a white star in the center, in late spring. It grows 15 to 20 feet tall and has glossy, lobed leaves and bright red fruit. It was chosen because it resists the leaf blight that makes many English hawthorns drop their leaves by midsummer. It is also sold as ‘Superba’. Hardy in zones 5 to 8.

‘Paul’s Scarlet’ (Crataegus laevigata ‘Paul’s Scarlet’)

‘Paul’s Scarlet’ is a Victorian English variety with clusters of double, deep pink to scarlet flowers that look like tiny roses. It is one of the showiest flowering trees in late spring. It rarely sets fruit, and in humid summers it is prone to leaf spot and fire blight. It grows 15 to 20 feet tall in zones 5 to 8.

English Hawthorn (Crataegus laevigata)

English hawthorn, or Midland hawthorn, is a European tree of woodland edges. It has shallowly lobed leaves, white or pale pink flowers in spring and red haws. It is the parent of most pink- and red-flowered hawthorns. In North America the species is less planted than its cultivars, because it is prone to leaf spot and fire blight.

Common Hawthorn (Crataegus monogyna)

Common hawthorn, also called May, whitethorn or single-seed hawthorn, is the hedgerow hawthorn of Europe. It has deeply lobed leaves, masses of fragrant white flowers in May and dark red haws, each with a single seed. It is a thorny tree 20 to 30 feet tall and makes a dense, stock-proof hedge. It spreads easily by seed, though, and is invasive in the Pacific Northwest, California, Australia and New Zealand, so plant a native hawthorn there.

‘Ohio Pioneer’ (Crataegus punctata ‘Ohio Pioneer’)

‘Ohio Pioneer’ is a thornless form of the native dotted hawthorn, found in Ohio. It has a broad, rounded crown 20 to 25 feet tall, white flowers in spring, red fruit and orange fall color. It is a good choice when you want a native hawthorn without thorns. Hardy in zones 4 to 7.

Hawthorns Grown for Fruit

Mayhaws (Crataegus aestivalis and C. opaca)

Mayhaws are native hawthorns of swamps, river bottoms and wet ground in the Deep South, from Georgia and Florida west to Louisiana and East Texas. They flower in late winter, very early for a hawthorn, and their tart red or yellow fruits, up to 3/4 inch across, ripen in May. They are harvested for mayhaw jelly, a Southern specialty, and grown in orchards in Louisiana and Georgia. The trees are 20 to 30 feet tall and grow in regular garden soil in zones 7 to 9.

Chinese Hawthorn (Crataegus pinnatifida)

Chinese hawthorn is grown across northern China for its fruit, called shan zha. The fruits are bright red with pale dots and, in the large-fruited variety major, up to an inch across. They are made into haw flakes, a sweet, candy-like fruit leather, and into tanghulu, candied fruits on a stick, and are used in traditional medicine. The tree has deeply cut leaves and grows 15 to 20 feet tall in zones 5 to 8.

Azarole (Crataegus azarolus)

The azarole is a Mediterranean hawthorn grown as a fruit tree around the Mediterranean and in the Middle East. Its fruits are about an inch across, yellow, orange or red, and taste like a tart apple. They are eaten fresh or made into jams. The tree grows 15 to 25 feet tall and prefers hot, dry summers in zones 6 to 9.

Tejocote (Crataegus mexicana)

Tejocote, or Mexican hawthorn, is native to the mountains of Mexico and Guatemala. Its golden-orange fruits, about an inch across, are a classic ingredient in ponche navideño, the hot Christmas fruit punch, and are candied or used to fill piñatas. It is an evergreen to semi-evergreen tree 15 to 30 feet tall, hardy in zones 8 to 10.

Native North American Hawthorns for Wildlife

Native hawthorns are some of the best small trees for birds. The thorny branches protect nests, the flowers feed early bees, and the haws feed birds into winter. Most are hard to find in nurseries, so check native plant sales.

Downy Hawthorn (Crataegus mollis)

Downy hawthorn is common in the Midwest and Northeast, from Ontario south to Texas. It has broad, lobed leaves that are soft and hairy, especially underneath, and large clusters of white flowers. Its red fruits are among the largest of any native hawthorn, up to an inch across, and ripen early, in late summer. It grows 20 to 30 feet tall in zones 3 to 6.

Arnold Hawthorn (Crataegus arnoldiana)

Arnold hawthorn was first described from a tree at the Arnold Arboretum in Boston, and it is native to New England and New York. It is closely related to downy hawthorn, and some botanists treat it as a variety of it. It has a broad, rounded crown, long thorns and big, bright red fruits that ripen in August and drop soon after.

Dotted Hawthorn (Crataegus punctata)

Dotted hawthorn is a native of eastern North America, named for the pale dots on its fruit. It has wide, horizontal branches and a flat-topped crown, leaves that are narrow at the base, and white flowers with pink anthers. Its fruits are dull red or sometimes yellow. It grows 20 to 30 feet tall in zones 4 to 7.

Scarlet Hawthorn (Crataegus coccinea)

Scarlet hawthorn is a native of the Northeast and the Great Lakes region, with bright scarlet fruits in late summer and orange to red fall color. It has broad, sharply toothed leaves and a dense, rounded crown. Botanists have described it under many names, including C. pedicellata.

Black Hawthorn (Crataegus douglasii)

Black hawthorn is the common native hawthorn of the Pacific Northwest and the northern Rockies, with scattered populations around the Great Lakes. It grows along streams and in open woods as a large shrub or small tree, 15 to 25 feet tall, and often forms thickets. Its fruits ripen glossy black-purple in late summer and are eaten by birds, bears and other wildlife. The leaves turn red and orange in fall.

Fireberry Hawthorn (Crataegus chrysocarpa)

Fireberry hawthorn is a shrubby northern hawthorn of the Great Plains, the Great Lakes and Canada east to Newfoundland. It is one of the hardiest hawthorns, to zone 3. It grows 10 to 20 feet tall and often forms thickets on prairie edges and in pastures. Its fruits are usually red, despite the botanical name, which means “golden fruit”.

Frosted Hawthorn (Crataegus pruinosa)

Frosted hawthorn is a native of eastern and central North America. It is named for the waxy, whitish coating on its young leaves and fruits, which ripen from green to purplish red in fall. It grows on rocky hillsides, woodland edges and pastures, as a small tree or large shrub 15 to 20 feet tall.

Pear Hawthorn (Crataegus calpodendron)

Pear hawthorn is a native of eastern and central North America with soft, hairy leaves and small, orange-red fruits. It flowers late, after most hawthorns, often on limestone soils. It is a small tree 15 to 20 feet tall, with few thorns.

One-Flower Hawthorn (Crataegus uniflora)

One-flower hawthorn is a small native shrub of dry, sandy woods in the southeastern U.S., usually 3 to 10 feet tall. As the name says, its white flowers are usually borne one at a time instead of in clusters. Its small fruits ripen yellowish to dull red in fall.

River Hawthorn (Crataegus rivularis)

River hawthorn grows along streams in the Rocky Mountains and the Great Basin, from Idaho and Wyoming south to New Mexico. It is a thicket-forming shrub or small tree 10 to 20 feet tall, similar to black hawthorn, with dark purple to black fruits.

How to Grow Hawthorns

• Site. Plant in full sun. Hawthorns tolerate clay, dry soil, road salt and wind, which is why they are common street trees.
• Thorns. Keep thorny varieties away from paths, play areas and driveways, or choose a thornless one such as thornless cockspur or ‘Ohio Pioneer’.
• Diseases. The main problems are cedar-hawthorn rust (orange spots on leaves and fruit, where junipers grow nearby), fire blight and leaf spot. ‘Winter King’, thornless cockspur and Lavalle hawthorn resist them best.
• Pruning. Prune in late winter, only to remove dead, crossing or suckering branches. Avoid heavy pruning in spring, when fire blight spreads.
• Eating haws. Hawthorn fruits are safe to eat cooked or in jelly, but remove the seeds first.