Parsley Hawthorn Crataegus marshallii
Other Common Name(s):
- Phonetic Spelling
- kree-TEE-gus mar-SHALL-ee-eye
- Description
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Crataegus, or Hawthorn, contains many species and varieties distributed across the southeastern United States and found in low swamps and river bottoms as well as higher mountain ridges. Parsley hawthorn, is a small tree or shrub in the Rosaceae (rose) family native to North Carolina.
The decorative, finely-dissected leaves along with the dainty flowers, small red fruit, and beautiful bark all work together to make this one of the most ornamental of the hawthorns. The thorns can be a problem with children, but also provides protective nesting cover for songbirds. The tree grows to about 25 feet tall and 15 feet wide and can be found in moist areas of the Piedmont and coastal planes. It sometimes grows as a multitrunked shrub.
Plant in moist clay or sandy loams in full to partial sun. It is adaptable to garden soils. Use this tree in moist well-drained areas around ponds, streams, bogs, or woodland sites.
This plant is categorized as Facultative (FAC) to Facultative wetland (FACW).
It serves as a host plant for the larvae of the Gray hairstreak (Strymon melinus), Red-spotted purple (Limenitis arthemis astyanax), and the Viceroy (Limenitis archippus) butterflies.
Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems: No serious problems.
- See this plant in the following landscape:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- Cultivars / Varieties:
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Attributes:
- Genus:
- Crataegus
- Species:
- marshallii
- Family:
- Rosaceae
- Uses (Ethnobotany):
- The leaves, berries, and flowers are used in medicines and herbals for cardiovascular health. The wood is strong, heavy, and hard, but has little commercial value.
- Life Cycle:
- Woody
- Country Or Region Of Origin:
- North America, NC
- Distribution:
- AL, AR, FL, GA, IL, KY, LA, MO, MS, NC, OK, SC, TN, TX, VA
- Wildlife Value:
- Important nectar flower for insects; food plant of many moths including the eggar moth; haws provide winter fruit for songbirds. 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
- Wildlife Cover/Habitat
- Wildlife Food Source
- Particularly Resistant To (Insects/Diseases/Other Problems):
- Some heat tolerance.
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Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Native Plant
- Perennial
- Shrub
- Tree
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Deciduous
- Habit/Form:
- Broad
- Erect
- Open
- Growth Rate:
- Medium
- Maintenance:
- Low
- Appendage:
- Thorns
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Cultural Conditions:
- Light:
- Deep shade (Less than 2 hours to no direct sunlight)
- 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:
- Good Drainage
- Moist
- Occasional Flooding
- Occasionally Dry
- Occasionally Wet
- Available Space To Plant:
- 12-24 feet
- NC Region:
- Coastal
- Piedmont
- USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
- 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b, 9a, 9b
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Fruit:
- Fruit Color:
- Red/Burgundy
- Fruit Value To Gardener:
- Edible
- Display/Harvest Time:
- Fall
- Fruit Type:
- Pome
- Fruit Length:
- < 1 inch
- Fruit Width:
- < 1 inch
- Fruit Description:
- 1/3 inch red pome with 1-5 pyrenes that resemble the “stones” in related plums, peaches, etc. Sometimes called the ‘haw’. Fruit displays from September to October.
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Flowers:
- Flower Color:
- White
- Flower Inflorescence:
- Cyme
- Flower Value To Gardener:
- Showy
- Flower Bloom Time:
- Spring
- Flower Shape:
- Saucer
- Flower Petals:
- 4-5 petals/rays
- Flower Size:
- < 1 inch
- Flower Description:
- One inch white flowers with red anthers appear in clusters from April to May.
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Leaves:
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Deciduous
- Leaf Color:
- Green
- Deciduous Leaf Fall Color:
- Orange
- Red/Burgundy
- Leaf Type:
- Simple
- Leaf Arrangement:
- Alternate
- Leaf Shape:
- Ovate
- Leaf Margin:
- Lobed
- Serrate
- Hairs Present:
- No
- Leaf Length:
- < 1 inch
- Leaf Width:
- < 1 inch
- Leaf Description:
- The 1 inch ovate leaves have 5 to 7 short pointed lobes and serrated (or toothed) edges. They are shiny green on the upper surface and paler on the undersides. Spirally arranged on long shoots.
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Bark:
- Bark Color:
- Dark Gray
- Light Gray
- Surface/Attachment:
- Exfoliating
- Bark Description:
- Thin and gray, becomes exfoliating with narrow scales with age.
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Stem:
- Stem Color:
- Brown/Copper
- Gray/Silver
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- No
- Stem Description:
- Smooth, thin, thorny stems are gray with mottles of brown,
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Landscape:
- Landscape Location:
- Pond
- Riparian
- Woodland
- Landscape Theme:
- Butterfly Garden
- Native Garden
- Pollinator Garden
- Rain Garden
- Water Garden
- Winter Garden
- Design Feature:
- Flowering Tree
- Hedge
- Shade Tree
- Specimen
- Attracts:
- Butterflies
- Pollinators
- Small Mammals
- Songbirds
- Resistance To Challenges:
- Drought
- Wet Soil
- Wind
