Alabama Hawthorn Crataegus alabamensis
Other Common Name(s):
- Phonetic Spelling
- krah-TEE-gus al-uh-bam-EN-sis
- Description
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Alabama Hawthorn is a native shrub in the rose family native to the Southeastern United States. Alabama Hawthorn is one of many species of the Hawthorn genus that are distributed throughout the area, but Alabama Hawthorn is currently only found in Georgia and Florida in open woodlands. Like other Hawthorns, Alabama Hawthorn is a shrub, or small tree with long, straight thorns and bears white flowers in spring that ripen to red or yellow fruit in the fall.
Alabama Hawthorn is a host plant for the larvae of the Gray hairstreak (Strymon melinus), Red-spotted purple (Limenitis arthemis astyanax), and the Viceroy (Limenitis archippus) butterflies.
Diseases, Insects, and Other Plant Problems:
No known diseases or other problems.
- See this plant in the following landscape:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- Tags:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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Attributes:
- Genus:
- Crataegus
- Species:
- alabamensis
- Family:
- Rosaceae
- Uses (Ethnobotany):
- The wood is strong, heavy, and hard, but rarely used in commercial applications. The leaves, berries, and flowers are used in medicines and herbals for cardiovascular health.
- Life Cycle:
- Woody
- Recommended Propagation Strategy:
- Seed
- Country Or Region Of Origin:
- Southeast North America, NC
- Distribution:
- Currently found in Alabama and Florida
- Wildlife Value:
- Important nectar flower for insects; food plant of many moths including the eggar moth; haws provide winter fruit for songbirds. This plant provides nectar for other pollinators. It is a larval host plant for Gray Hairstreak (Strymon melinus), Red-spotted Purple (Limenitis arthemis astyanax), and Viceroy (Limenitis archippus). Red-spotted Purple and Viceroy rarely use this host plant in North Carolina. Good nesting habitat with thorns providing protection from predators.
- Play Value:
- Attracts Pollinators
- Edible fruit
- Wildlife Cover/Habitat
- Wildlife Food Source
- Wildlife Nesting
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Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Perennial
- Shrub
- Tree
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Deciduous
- Habit/Form:
- Spreading
- Vase
- Growth Rate:
- Medium
- Maintenance:
- Low
- Texture:
- Coarse
- Appendage:
- Thorns
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Cultural Conditions:
- Light:
- Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
- Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
- Soil Texture:
- Clay
- Loam (Silt)
- Sand
- Soil pH:
- Acid (<6.0)
- Alkaline (>8.0)
- Neutral (6.0-8.0)
- Soil Drainage:
- Moist
- Occasionally Wet
- USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
- 8a, 8b, 9a, 9b, 10a, 10b
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Fruit:
- Fruit Color:
- Red/Burgundy
- Fruit Value To Gardener:
- Edible
- Display/Harvest Time:
- Fall
- Fruit Type:
- Pome
- Fruit Description:
- Small red pome with 1 to 5 pyrenes that resemble the “stones” in related plums, peaches, etc. Sometimes called the ‘haw’.
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Flowers:
- Flower Color:
- White
- Flower Value To Gardener:
- Fragrant
- Showy
- Flower Bloom Time:
- Spring
- Flower Petals:
- 4-5 petals/rays
- Flower Description:
- Inflorescence with 3-6 flowers, hypanthium hairy and white. Flower blooms from April to May. Some consider the fragrance to be pleasant, others consider it unpleasant.
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Leaves:
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Deciduous
- Leaf Color:
- Green
- Leaf Feel:
- Rough
- Leaf Type:
- Simple
- Leaf Arrangement:
- Alternate
- Leaf Shape:
- Cuneate
- Oblong
- Ovate
- Leaf Margin:
- Crenate
- Serrate
- Hairs Present:
- Yes
- Leaf Length:
- 1-3 inches
- Leaf Description:
- Two to three inch long, wedge-shaped, leaves notched on the edges. Oblong to cuneate, margins crenate-serrate.
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Bark:
- Bark Color:
- Black
- Dark Gray
- Light Gray
- Surface/Attachment:
- Smooth
- Bark Description:
- Thin, smooth and gray bark, black with age. On old stems, it breaks up into narrow scales.
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Stem:
- Stem Color:
- Gray/Silver
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- No
- Stem Surface:
- Hairy (pubescent)
- Stem Description:
- New growth densely tomentose, 1-year old twigs dark gray, spines present
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Landscape:
- Landscape Theme:
- Butterfly Garden
- Pollinator Garden
- Winter Garden
- Attracts:
- Butterflies
- Pollinators
- Songbirds
