Taxonomy

Division:

Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants

Family:

Rosaceae

Genus:

Crataegus

Species:

Crataegus okanaganensis

USDA Symbol:

CROK

Growth Characteristics

Life Cycle:

Perennial

Growth Habit:

Shrub

Height:

600 cm

Light Requirements:

Full Sun

Drought Tolerance:

Medium

Bloom Months:

may,jun

Bloom Colors:

white

Landscaping Shrub:

Yes

Keystone Species Ranking

Caterpillar Keystone:

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

Garden & Ecology Notes

Wildlife Value:

birds, small mammals

Deer Resistant:

Yes

Fragrant:

Yes

Fall Color:

red, orange

Fire Ecology:

Fire adapted — tolerates or benefits from fire

Fire Notes:

Can resprout from the root crown following fire; typical of many Crataegus species.

Soil Requirements

Soil Type:

well-drained, sandy loam soil

pH:

6.0 - 7.5 (slightly acidic to neutral)

Drainage:

excellent drainage required

Moisture:

dry to moderate

Notes:

native to open, rocky hillsides and forest 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 exhibit double dormancy requiring warm then cold stratification; germination may take 1-2 years. Scarification of the hard endocarp improves germination rates.

The above propagation data sourced from Claude AI