Taxonomy

Division:

Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants

Family:

Rosaceae

Genus:

Crataegus

Species:

Crataegus aestivalis

USDA Symbol:

CRAE

Growth Characteristics

Life Cycle:

Perennial

Growth Habit:

Shrub , Tree

Height:

900 cm

Light Requirements:

Part Shade

Drought Tolerance:

Low

Bloom Months:

feb,mar,apr

Bloom Colors:

white

Keystone Species Ranking

Caterpillar Keystone:

★★★★★ Butterfly & moth species supported by this genus (NWF)

Garden & Ecology Notes

Wildlife Value:

birds, small mammals

Fragrant:

Yes

Fall Color:

red, orange

Soil Requirements

Soil Type:

rich, well-drained loamy soil

pH:

5.5 - 7.0 (slightly acidic to neutral)

Drainage:

tolerates poor drainage

Moisture:

consistently moist

Notes:

Prefers wetland or riparian environments

Propagation & Germination

Stratification:

Warm then cold/moist stratification (double dormancy) — 120–180 days

Scarification:

Seed coat scarification required before sowing

Germination Time:

30–365 days

Notes:

Crataegus seeds exhibit deep dormancy requiring warm stratification followed by cold stratification. Germination may take 1-2 years and is often erratic.

The above propagation data sourced from Claude AI