Taxonomy

Division:

Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants

Family:

Rosaceae

Genus:

Crataegus

Species:

Crataegus texana

USDA Symbol:

CRTE2

Growth Characteristics

Life Cycle:

Perennial

Growth Habit:

Shrub , Tree

Height:

800 cm

Light Requirements:

Full Sun

Drought Tolerance:

Medium

Bloom Months:

mar,apr

Bloom Colors:

white

Landscaping Shrub:

Yes

Wildlife Benefits

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

Fragrant:

Yes

Fall Color:

orange, red

Fire Ecology:

Fire adapted — tolerates or benefits from fire

Fire Notes:

Can resprout from the root crown following fire. Tolerates occasional fire in prairie-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 soils near riverbanks or floodplains

Propagation & Germination

Stratification:

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

Scarification:

Seed coat scarification required before sowing

Germination Time:

60–365 days

Notes:

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

The above propagation data sourced from Claude AI