Crataegus spathulata
| Littlehip hawthorn (Crataegus spathulata) | |
|---|---|
| Scientific name | Crataegus spathulata[1] |
| Common names | Littlehip hawthorn; pasture hawthorn; smallfruit hawthorn; thornapple |
| Family | Rosaceae |
| Order | Rosales |
| Genus | Crataegus |
| Native range | Southeastern United States[2] |
| Habit | Thorny deciduous shrub or small tree[2] |
| Flowering | April[2] |
| Fruit season | September–November[2] |
| Years to fruit | About 5–8 years from seedlings in one cultivation account; grafted plants may flower earlier[3] |
Crataegus spathulata, commonly called littlehip hawthorn, pasture hawthorn, smallfruit hawthorn or thornapple, is a deciduous hawthorn native to the southeastern United States. The accepted species match is Crataegus spathulata.[1] It is a small, thorny tree or shrub with white spring flowers and small red pomes that ripen in autumn.[2]
Description[edit | edit source]
The species is described as a shrub or small tree about 3–7 m tall; the North Carolina profile gives a cultivated size of roughly 20–25 ft tall and 15–20 ft wide.[3] Young twigs are dark purple-brown, and the straight blackish thorns are about 3–5 cm long. The leaves are spatulate and about 1.5–3 cm long. White flowers, about 10 mm across, occur in clusters of about 20–30; the flowers are described as strongly scented and have 20 stamens and 3–5 styles.[2]
In the wild it occurs in brush and on calcareous substrates from about 10–500 m elevation, across the southern United States from southern Missouri and Virginia south to eastern Texas and Florida.[2] Its bark is described as exfoliating in the North Carolina horticultural profile.[3]
The fruit is a small oblong pome, described as coral-red or bright red and about 5 mm across, with up to five seeds. It is produced after the spring bloom and is recorded from September into November.[2]
Cultivation[edit | edit source]
Littlehip hawthorn is a deciduous plant of the temperate-to-warm southeastern United States, with spring flowering and autumn fruiting. In cultivation, give young plants reliable moisture while they establish, then adjust irrigation to the local warm growing season and the cooler dormant period. The North Carolina profile describes established plants as heat- and drought-resistant, but that is not a universal hardiness limit.[3]
Soil and water[edit | edit source]
Use a moist but well-drained root zone. The species profile accepts a range of soil textures and specifies moist, well-drained conditions; the specialist account describes moisture-retentive, well-drained loam and records tolerance of chalk and heavy clay.[3][4] Calcareous or alkaline ground is compatible with its recorded habitat, but drainage remains important. Keep new plantings evenly supplied with water during establishment rather than relying on the later drought tolerance of a rooted tree.[3]
Sun and humidity[edit | edit source]
The reported exposure range extends from full sun to medium shade in the specialist account and from partial to deep shade in the North Carolina profile.[3][4] A bright site with protection from the harshest afternoon exposure is a reasonable starting position where summer heat is intense; no species-specific humidity threshold is established.
Seasonal changes[edit | edit source]
Flowering is recorded in April, while fruiting runs from September through November, with the North Carolina profile placing the main period of red fruit availability in September and October.[2][3] Maintain moisture during spring growth and fruit development, but allow the well-drained root zone to become less wet during the cooler dormant period. After establishment, the reported heat and drought resistance can reduce irrigation demand during a dry spell, without turning that observation into a fixed drought schedule.[3]
Propagation[edit | edit source]
Seed is the recommended propagation method in the North Carolina profile.[3] The specialist cultivation account recommends sowing fresh seed in autumn; for stored seed it gives a warm stratification period of about three months at 15 °C followed by about three months at 4 °C. It also warns that hawthorn seed can remain dormant longer, so germination should not be expected on a short, fixed timetable.[4]
The cultivation account places seedling bearing at about 5–8 years, while grafted plants may flower heavily in their third year. Those timings are source-specific cultivation reports rather than a guaranteed schedule for every seed lot, graft, climate or rootstock.[4]
Flowering, fruiting, and harvest[edit | edit source]
The white flowers are recorded in April, and midges are identified as pollinators in the specialist account.[2][4] The inflorescences may contain 20–30 flowers. Fruit develops as small red pomes and is recorded from September through November; a red, mature-looking pome in that period is the practical harvest cue supplied by the examined accounts, but no firmness or flavor test is established.[2][3]
Fruit and uses[edit | edit source]
The examined accounts describe the fruit as edible or usable raw or cooked, while the North Carolina profile notes that it is usually left for birds.[3][4] Fruit quality is reported as variable among seedlings. These records do not establish a flavor profile, preparation method, dosage, toxicity boundary or universal food-safety conclusion, so the fruit should not be presented as a tested culinary product.
Pests and diseases[edit | edit source]
Reported pests include aphids, scale, leaf miners, caterpillars and mites. Reported diseases include fire blight, cedar–hawthorn rust, cedar–quince rust, leaf blight and leaf spot.[3] The profile lists these as risks associated with the plant; it does not provide a species-specific treatment schedule.