Rome Hawthorn

Crataegus iracunda

Native to:
United States

📍 View on iNaturalist →

Taxonomy

Division:
Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants
Family:
Rosaceae
Genus:
Crataegus
Species:
Crataegus iracunda
USDA Symbol:
CRAE2

Growth Characteristics

Life Cycle:
Perennial
Growth Habit:
Shrub , Tree
Height:
700 cm
Light Requirements:
Full Sun
Drought Tolerance:
Medium
Bloom Months:
apr,may,jun
Bloom Colors:
white
Landscaping Shrub:
Yes

Wildlife Benefits

Bees:
★☆☆☆☆ Documented bee visitation (GBIF)
Butterflies & Moths:
★☆☆☆☆ Documented Lepidoptera association (GBIF)

Keystone Species Ranking

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

Garden & Ecology Notes

Wildlife Value:
birds, small mammals, butterflies, bees
Deer Resistant:
Yes
Fall Color:
red, orange
Fire Ecology:
Fire adapted — tolerates or benefits from fire
Fire Notes:
Can resprout from roots after fire damage; historically present in fire-influenced savanna edges.

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 double dormancy; scarification followed by warm then cold stratification may require 1-2 years for germination.

The above propagation data sourced from Claude AI

Pre-treatment: Cold-moist stratification for 30 days at 1–5°C (34–41°F).; then Cold-moist stratification for 60 days.

Source: Claude AI