Taxonomy

Division:

Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants

Family:

Rosaceae

Genus:

Crataegus

Species:

Crataegus × rufula

USDA Symbol:

CRRU5

Growth Characteristics

Life Cycle:

Perennial

Growth Habit:

Tree

Height:

600 cm

Light Requirements:

Full Sun

Drought Tolerance:

Medium

Bloom Months:

apr,may

Bloom Colors:

white

Landscaping Shrub:

Yes

Wildlife Benefits

Bees:

★☆☆☆☆ Documented bee visitation (GBIF)

Keystone Species Ranking

Caterpillar Keystone:

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

Garden & Ecology Notes

Wildlife Value:

birds, small mammals, bees

Deer Resistant:

Yes

Fall Color:

red, orange

Fire Ecology:

Fire adapted — tolerates or benefits from fire

Fire Notes:

Can resprout from the root crown following fire; typically found in fire-adapted woodland edges.

Soil Requirements

Soil Type:

rich, well-drained loamy soil

pH:

6.0 - 7.5 (slightly acidic to neutral)

Drainage:

excellent drainage required

Moisture:

dry to moderate

Notes:

Prefers open woodlands and edges

Propagation & Germination

Stratification:

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

Scarification:

Seed coat scarification required before sowing

Germination Time:

365–730 days

Notes:

Hawthorn seeds have double dormancy requiring warm then cold stratification; germination is often erratic and may take 1-2 years.

The above propagation data sourced from Claude AI