Ode to the Black Hawthorn

By Mallory Pratt

The thornapple or hawthorn tree is a controversial landscaping choice in that people generally love or hate it. There are hundreds of species of Crataegus, but one native to the Pacific Northwest is the Black hawthorn, Crataegus douglasii..

Why love it? Well it has lovely white flowers in spring, deep purple fruit in summer and red/orange leaves in the fall. It is tolerant of a wide range of conditions (tough to kill) and it feeds our native birds and insects.

Why hate it? It needs regular care to prune suckers, it can be messy (drops fruits and leaves) and its thorns are no joke.

I enjoy a close and personal relationship to my trees and appreciate a tree that can defend itself. So I’m excited to be planting one in my yard this winter with Friends of Trees. If you like trees with a bit of sass, consider a hawthorn.

Flower of the Black Hawthorn

More about the black hawthorn from the East Multnomah Soil and Water Conservation District >>