Taxonomy

Division:

Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants

Family:

Rosaceae

Genus:

Crataegus

Species:

Crataegus × canescens

USDA Symbol:

MECA10

Growth Characteristics

Life Cycle:

Perennial

Growth Habit:

Shrub

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)

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, bees, butterflies, small mammals

Deer Resistant:

Yes

Fragrant:

Yes

Fall Color:

red, orange

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 calcareous soils in native range

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:

Crataegus seeds exhibit deep dormancy requiring scarification followed by warm then cold stratification; germination may take 1-2 years.

The above propagation data sourced from Claude AI