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Rosaceae FAMILY

Crataegus pennsylvanica

Crataegus pennsylvanica

Edibility
4/5
Medicinal
2/5

Safety & Hazards

None known

Cultivation Details

HabitDeciduous Tree
Growth—

Crataegus pensylvanica is a very cold-hardy plant, able to tolerate temperatures down to around -25°c when fully dormant[1]. Crataegus species are generally very easily cultivated plants, growing best in full sun to medium shade and preferring a well-drained but moisture retentive loamy soil, though they are not usually fussy[2, 1]. This species grows well on a chalk soil and also in heavy clay soils[1]. Once established, many species can tolerate a range of difficult conditions including drought; excessively moist soils; exposed, windy, maritime conditions; and atmospheric pollution[1]. Notes on the plants habitat above may give more ideas on this[PFAF]. Trees growing in a sunny position generally produce more and better quality fruit than trees growing in the shade[PFAF]. Crataegus pennsylvanica has an excellent potential as a fruit crop in Britain. A plant growing at Kew is about 4 metres tall and wide; it regularly produces heavy crops of high quality fruit, the tree is very easily grown and is little troubled by pests or diseases. It also requires very little attention, once established virtually the only work needed is to harvest the fruit each year[PFAF]. Crataegus pennsylvanica has been confused with Crataegus mollis and various members of ser. Coccineae. Except for a small overlap in northeastern Ohio, its range lies outside that of Crataegus mollis. Crataegus pennsylvanica is more similar to Crataegus submollis, from which it differs by its less variable leaves (usually broadly ovate, more or less truncate, relatively large), by its much less thorny nature, by its indumentum on young parts being tomentose rather than densely pubescent, and by its being more treelike (Crataegus submollis is usually a shrub). Thorns are absent or sparse on older trees[3]. Crataegus species often hybridize freely with other members of the genus[2, 1]. This statement is not fully accurate; at least in the wild most Crataegus species usually breed true and only occasionally hybridize - in addition, any hybrids are usually putative[4]. Many Crataegus species are very variable with regard to fruit size and quality. Seedlings, even if obtained from a good fruiting form, can often be disappointing - though they can also be an improvement on the original form. The most reliable way of obtaining a good fruiting form is by grafting from a known good tree, or obtaining a named cultivar from a reliable source[PFAF]. Seedling trees take from 5 - 8 years before they start bearing fruit, though grafted trees will often flower heavily in their third year[PFAF]. Seedlings should not be left in a seedbed for more than 2 years without being transplanted[2]. The flowers have a foetid smell somewhat like decaying fish. This attracts midges which are the main means of fertilization. When freshly open, the flowers have more pleasant scent with balsamic undertones[5].

Propagation

Seed - this is best sown as soon as it is ripe in the autumn in a cold frame, some of the seed will germinate in the spring, though most will probably take another year. Stored seed can be very slow and erratic to germinate, it should be warm stratified for 3 months at 15°c and then cold stratified for another 3 months at 4°c[6]. It may still take another 18 months to germinate[7]. Scarifying the seed before stratifying it might reduce this time[8]. Fermenting the seed for a few days in its own pulp may also speed up the germination process[PFAF]. Another possibility is to harvest the seed 'green' (as soon as the embryo has fully developed but before the seedcoat hardens) and sow it immediately in a cold frame. If timed well, it can germinate in the spring[8]. If you are only growing small quantities of plants, it is best to pot up the seedlings as soon as they are large enough to handle and grow them on in individual pots for their first year, planting them out in late spring into nursery beds or their final positions. When growing larger quantities, it might be best to sow them directly outdoors in a seedbed, but with protection from mice and other seed-eating creatures. Grow them on in the seedbed until large enough to plant out, but undercut the roots if they are to be left undisturbed for more than two years. Cite as: Temperate Plants Database, Ken Fern. temperate.theferns.info. 2026-02-21. <temperate.theferns.info/plant/Crataegus+pennsylvanica>

Pollinators

Midges

References

  1. [1]The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. — Huxley. A. · MacMillan Press · 1992 · ISBN 0-333-47494-5 ↩︎Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
  2. [2]Trees and Shrubs Hardy in Great Britain. Vol 1 - 4 and Supplement. — Bean. W. · Murray · 1981 · ISBN - ↩︎A classic with a wealth of information on the plants, but poor on pictures.
  3. [3]Flora of N. America — http://flora.huh.harvard.edu/fna/ ↩︎An on-line version of the flora with an excellent description of the plant including a brief mention of plant uses.
  4. [4]Annals of the Missouri Botanical Garden Vol 92 — Missouri Botanical Garden; St. Louis, Missouri · 2005 · http://www.mbgpress.org · ISBN 0026-6493 ↩︎A botanical journal, containing a range of articles
  5. [5]Scented Flora of the World. — Genders. R. · Robert Hale. London. · 1994 · ISBN 0-7090-5440-8 ↩︎An excellent, comprehensive book on scented plants giving a few other plant uses and brief cultivation details. There are no illustrations.
  6. [6]Growing from Seed. Volume 4. — Bird. R. (Editor) · Thompson and Morgan. · 1990 · ISBN - ↩︎Very readable magazine with lots of information on propagation. A good article on Yuccas, one on Sagebrush (Artemesia spp) and another on Chaerophyllum bulbosum.
  7. [7]Propagation of Trees, Shrubs and Conifers. — Sheat. W. G. · MacMillan and Co · 1948 · ISBN - ↩︎A bit dated but a good book on propagation techniques with specific details for a wide range of plants.
  8. [8]Hardy Woody Plants from Seed. — McMillan-Browse. P. · Grower Books · 1985 · ISBN 0-901361-21-6 ↩︎Does not deal with many species but it is very comprehensive on those that it does cover. Not for casual reading.
  9. [9]Gray's Manual of Botany.Eighth Edition — Fernald. M. L. · American Book Co.; New York · 1950 · ISBN 0442222505 ↩︎A bit dated but a good and concise flora of the eastern part of N. America.
  10. [10]Manual of the Trees of N. America. — Sargent. C. S. · Dover Publications Inc. New York. · 1965 · http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/ · ISBN 0-486-20278-X ↩︎Two volumes, a comprehensive listing of N. American trees though a bit out of date now. Good details on habitats, some details on plant uses. Not really for the casual reader. It can be downloaded from the internet.
  11. [11]A Field Guide to Medicinal Plants. Eastern and Central N. America. — Foster. S. & Duke. J. A. · Houghton Mifflin Co. · 1990 · ISBN 0395467225 ↩︎A concise book dealing with almost 500 species. A line drawing of each plant is included plus colour photographs of about 100 species. Very good as a field guide, it only gives brief details about the plants medicinal properties.
  12. [12]Hawthorns and Medlars — Phipps J.B.; O'Kennon R.J. & Lance R.W. · Timber Press; Portland · 2003 · ISBN 0-88192-591-8 ↩︎An excellent guide to some of the better known Crataegus species, plus quite a few less well-known. It also contains some information on the Medlar.
  13. [PFAF]Plants for a Future — pfaf.org ↩︎