Description
At a Glance: Black Hawthorn is a large thorny shrub or small thorny tree that can be found in moist open places, forest edges, thickets, shorelines, steamside areas, roadsides and coastal bluffs. It grows to about 30’ tall and has rough and scaly grey bark.
Leaves: the deciduous leaves are alternate, thick and leathery. They are dark green above and paler below, oval with the top end of leaves having 5-9 lobes and saw-toothed margins.
Flowers:Flowers clusters are borne terminally or in leaf axils. They are white and a bit mal-odorous with 5 petals and 10-20 stamens.
Fruit: blackish-purple little ‘apples’ or haws, edible but with large seed.
Growing Conditions:
| Sun/Shade Tolerance | Hydrology | Elevation Range |
| Full sun 80%-100%
Most sun 60%-80% Part sun/shade 40%-60% Shade 20%-40% |
Moist
|
Low elevations
Mid elevations
|
References:
MacKinnon, A., Pojar, J., & Alaback, P. B. (1994). Plants of the Pacific Northwest coast: Washington, Oregon, British Columbia & Alaska. Richmond, Wash: Lone Pine Publishing.
