Crataegus phaenopyrum
Washington hawthorn

Notes:

Low-branching. Taprooted. Grows faster when young, slowing with age. NCSU says partial shade possible but reduces flowering. Descriptions of flower fragrance include "tolerable" and "may be unpleasant". Bloom period is brief.

Takes pruning well. USDA and White Oak outnumber NCSU on the question of sandy soil tolerance (I never consider UFL for soil texture questions because they list almost everything as being tolerant of clay, loam, and sand, which is obviously unhelpful and unrealistic -- you can verify this by pulling up their Flash-based northern tree selector, filtering for clay or sand, and seeing how close the numbers are to no filters at all).

Resistant to cedar-hawthorn rust. One of least susceptible hawthorns to fireblight.

'Princeton Sentry' is fastigiate and nearly thornless. 'Westwood I' (Washington Lustre) and 'Washington Tree' are quite similar to each other, more upright and with fewer thorns than the species.

Sources: Sunset, White Oak, NCSU, UFL, Stoecklein, UConn, USDA, Dirr/Warren.

Tags:

attracts:bees
attracts:birds (ex-humming)
attracts:butterflies
attracts:hummingbirds
attracts:larval host
clay tolerant
compacted soil intolerant
deer resistant
dense canopy
drought tolerant
easy to grow
edible fruit
exposure:full sun
fall color notable
fire risk low
form:tree
full sun preferred
habit:conical/pyramidal
habit:rounded
habit:spreading/wide
infertile soil tolerant
litter:minimal
long-lived
native:eastern North America
persistence:deciduous
pest/disease sensitive
pollution tolerant
pruning required
resprouts notably
rich soil preferred
roots:deep
roots:low damage potential
salt intolerant
showy flowers
thorns
type:broadleaf
use:bonsai
use:border
use:deck/patio
use:hedge
use:screen
use:specimen
use:street
water:moderate to little
well-drained soil required
WON high-value plant


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