# Black Hawthorn (*Crataegus douglasii*) The Black Hawthorn is a small tree or shrub with beautiful white flowers in spring and dark berries in the fall. It provides food for birds and other animals, making it a great part of nature! - **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 2/5 · Low - **Snaps:** 1 - **Habitat:** Forests ![Black Hawthorn](https://inaturalist-open-data.s3.amazonaws.com/photos/318270785/medium.jpg) Photo: CC0 · [iNaturalist](https://www.inaturalist.org/photos/318270785) ## Appearance The Black Hawthorn is a thorny shrub or small tree with glossy green leaves and small white flower clusters. Its most distinguishing feature is the dark purple, almost black, berry-like fruits that mature in late summer. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Plantae - **Phylum:** Tracheophyta - **Class:** Magnoliopsida - **Order:** Rosales - **Family:** Rosaceae - **Genus:** Crataegus ## Interesting facts - Despite its thorns, indigenous peoples traditionally ate the berries raw or made them into cakes. - Its berries, called 'haws,' start red and ripen to a shiny, deep purple-black color! - Some hawthorn trees can live for hundreds of years, making them ancient giants of the forest! - The Black Hawthorn is a resilient tree, often one of the first plants to grow back after a forest fire. ## Special abilities - **Thorn Armor:** Black Hawthorn has sharp, woody thorns that help defend its branches and young shoots from hungry herbivores like deer. - **Berry Bounty:** Black Hawthorn can produce abundant dark berries, providing essential food for many birds and mammals, helping to spread its seeds. - **Tough Roots:** Black Hawthorn has a strong root system that allows it to grow in diverse soils and helps prevent erosion along riverbanks. ## Measurements & details - **Height:** 300-1000 cm - **Spread:** 300-800 cm - **Flower Size:** 1-1.5 cm - **Bloom Season:** Late spring to early summer - **Edible:** Yes - **Toxicity:** None - **Lifecycle:** Perennial - **Pollination Method:** Insect ## Ecological connections - **Eats:** [American Crow](https://www.snappit.app/explore/american-crow) (*Corvus brachyrhynchos*) — Crows eat the nutritious black hawthorn berries. - **Pollinates:** Two-Form Bumblebee (*Bombus bifarius*) — Bumblebees visit flowers for nectar and pollen. - **Eats:** [Mule Deer](https://www.snappit.app/explore/mule-deer) (*Odocoileus hemionus*) — Deer browse on young leaves and twigs. - **Shelter:** [Western Bluebird](https://www.snappit.app/explore/western-bluebird) (*Sialia mexicana*) — Bluebirds use its branches for perching and nesting. ## Traits - [Deciduous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/deciduous): Deciduous plants periodically shed all their leaves, typically during autumn or dry seasons. - [Flowering](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/flowering): Flowering plants are any plants that produce flowers as part of their reproductive cycle. - [Shrub](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/shrub): A shrub is a woody plant smaller than a tree, typically with multiple stems branching from or near the ground. - [Spring Blooming](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/spring-blooming): Spring blooming plants produce their flowers during the spring season, often signifying the end of winter and the start of new growth. - [Broadleaf Tree](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/broadleaf-tree): Broadleaf trees are angiosperms characterized by flat, wide leaves that are typically shed annually in temperate climates. - [Fragrant Flower](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/fragrant-flower): Fragrant flowers emit a pleasant aroma, often to attract pollinators or for defense. - [Fruit Bearing](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/fruit-bearing): Fruit-bearing plants produce fruits, which are the mature ovaries of flowering plants containing seeds. - [Thorny Stem](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/thorny-stem): Pertaining to plants that have stems covered with sharp, pointed projections for defense. - [Edible](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/edible): Edible plants are those parts of a plant that are considered safe for human consumption. - [Pollinator Magnet](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/pollinator-magnet): Describes plants that are particularly attractive and beneficial to a wide range of pollinating organisms. - [Forest](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/forest): Forest habitats are terrestrial environments dominated by dense tree cover, supporting a high diversity of plant and animal life. ## Collections - [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/plants) ## Safety **Danger:** 2/5 · Low Be careful of the sharp thorns on the branches! ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Black Hawthorn? Start with the whole plant, then compare leaf arrangement, leaf edges, stems and any flowers or fruit. Opposite leaves grow in pairs; alternate leaves come one at a time along the stem. These details tell you far more together than a single green leaf does. Plant Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How tall is Black Hawthorn? 300-1000 cm ### How wide does Black Hawthorn spread? 300-800 cm ### How big are the flowers on Black Hawthorn? 1-1.5 cm ### When does Black Hawthorn bloom? Late spring to early summer ### Is Black Hawthorn edible? Yes ### Is Black Hawthorn toxic? None ### What is Black Hawthorn's lifecycle? Perennial ## Where to spot - [Nyack Ranger Station Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/nyack-ranger-station-historic-district) — Montana, US · Historic District ## More Plants - [white snakeroot](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-snakeroot) (*Ageratina altissima*) - [tree-of-heaven](https://www.snappit.app/explore/tree-of-heaven) (*Ailanthus altissima*) - [western sword fern](https://www.snappit.app/explore/western-sword-fern) (*Polystichum munitum*) - [common milkweed](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-milkweed) (*Asclepias syriaca*) --- Source: [Black Hawthorn: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/black-hawthorn)