Native Plants
Search for native plants by scientific name, common name or family. If you are not sure what you are looking for, try the Combination Search or our Recommended Species lists.
Crataegus viridis
Crataegus viridis L.
Green Hawthorn, Southern Hawthorn
Rosaceae (Rose Family)
Synonym(s):
USDA Symbol: crvi2
USDA Native Status: L48 (N)
Thicket-forming tree with straight, often fluted, trunk and rounded, dense crown of spreading branches, shiny foliage, showy flowers, and small red to yellow fruit.
Linnaeus, in 1753, gave this species its Latin name, meaning "green," from a specimen with shiny green foliage sent from Virginia.
Plant Characteristics
Duration: PerennialHabit: Shrub , Tree
Leaf Retention: Deciduous
Fruit Type: Pome
Size Notes: Up to about 50 feet tall, often shorter.
Leaf: Yellow-Green.
Autumn Foliage: yes
Fruit: Bright red to orange.
Bloom Information
Bloom Color: WhiteBloom Time: Mar , Apr , May
Distribution
USA: AL , AR , DE , FL , GA , IL , IN , KS , KY , LA , MD , MO , MS , NC , OK , PA , SC , TN , TX , VA , WVNative Distribution: Delaware south to N. Florida, west to E. Texas, and north to SW. Indiana; to about 500' (152 m).
Native Habitat: Open woodlands, Prairie, Plains, Meadows, Pastures, Savannas
Growing Conditions
Water Use: HighLight Requirement: Part Shade
Soil Moisture: Wet
CaCO3 Tolerance: Medium
Soil Description: Sandy, Sandy Loam, Medium Loam, Clay Loam, Clay
Conditions Comments: Suitable for most sites and soils; will grow best in sunny location.
Benefit
Use Ornamental: Showy, Understory tree, Blooms ornamentalUse Wildlife: Nectar-bees, Nectar-butterflies, Fruit-birds, Fruit-mammals, Cover, Nesting site.
Conspicuous Flowers: yes
Attracts: Birds , Butterflies
Larval Host: King's hairstreak, Gray hairstreak, Soapberry hairstreak, Banded hairstreak, Red-Banded hairstreak.
Deer Resistant: High
Value to Beneficial Insects
Special Value to Native BeesThis information was provided by the Pollinator Program at The Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation.
Butterflies and Moths of North America (BAMONA)
Soapberry Hairstreak (Phaeostrymon alcestis) Larval Host |
Banded Hairstreak (Satyrium calanus) Larval Host |
Gray Hairstreak (Strymon melinus) Larval Host |
Red-banded Hairstreak (Calycopis cecrops) Larval Host |
Find Seed or Plants
View propagation protocol from Native Plants Network.
National Wetland Indicator Status
Region: | AGCP | AK | AW | CB | EMP | GP | HI | MW | NCNE | WMVE |
Status: | FACW | FACW | FAC | FACW | OBL |
From the National Organizations Directory
According to the species list provided by Affiliate Organizations, this plant is on display at the following locations:Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center - Austin, TX
Texas Parks and Wildlife Department - Austin, TX
Wildflower Center Seed Bank
LBJWC-1141 Collected 2007-11-16 in Liberty County by Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower CenterBibliography
Bibref 298 - Field Guide to Texas Trees (1999) Simpson, B.J.Bibref 1620 - Gardening with Native Plants of the South (Reprint Edition) (2009) Wasowski, S. with A. Wasowski
Bibref 946 - Gardening with Prairie Plants: How to Create Beautiful Native Landscapes (2002) Wasowski, Sally
Bibref 841 - Native Alternatives to Invasive Plants (2006) Burrell, C. C.
Search More Titles in Bibliography
Web Reference
Webref 57 - Atlas of Florida Plants (2020) Institute for Systematic BotanyWebref 3 - Flora of North America (2014) Missouri Botanical Garden, St. Louis, MO & Harvard University Herbaria, Cambridge, MA.
Webref 23 - Southwest Environmental Information Network (2009) SEINet - Arizona Chapter
Additional resources
USDA: Find Crataegus viridis in USDA PlantsFNA: Find Crataegus viridis in the Flora of North America (if available)
Google: Search Google for Crataegus viridis
Metadata
Record Modified: 2023-05-09Research By: NPC