Taxonomy

Division:

Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants

Family:

Rosaceae

Genus:

Crataegus

Species:

Crataegus uniflora

USDA Symbol:

CRUN

Growth Characteristics

Life Cycle:

Perennial

Growth Habit:

Shrub , Tree

Height:

300 cm

Light Requirements:

Full Sun

Drought Tolerance:

High

Bloom Months:

mar,apr,may

Bloom Colors:

white

Landscaping Shrub:

Yes

Keystone Species Ranking

Caterpillar Keystone:

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

Host Plant for Caterpillars

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:

Resprouts from root crown following fire. Found in fire-maintained sandhills and open woodlands.

Soil Requirements

Soil Type:

sandy, well-drained, nutrient-poor soil

pH:

5.5 - 7.0 (slightly acidic to neutral)

Drainage:

excellent drainage required

Moisture:

dry to moderate

Notes:

Commonly found in pine barrens and sandy woods.

Propagation & Germination

Stratification:

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

Scarification:

Seed coat scarification required before sowing

Germination Time:

180–730 days

Notes:

Crataegus seeds exhibit deep double dormancy requiring warm stratification followed by cold stratification. Germination is often erratic and may take 2 years.

The above propagation data sourced from Claude AI