''Crataegus mollis'', known as downy hawthorn or red hawthorn, is a species of plant that occurs in eastern

North America North America is a continent in the Northern Hemisphere, Northern and Western Hemisphere, Western hemispheres. North America is bordered to the north by the Arctic Ocean, to the east by the Atlantic Ocean, to the southeast by South Ameri ...

from southeastern

North Dakota North Dakota ( ) is a U.S. state in the Upper Midwest, named after the indigenous Dakota people, Dakota and Sioux peoples. It is bordered by the Canadian provinces of Saskatchewan and Manitoba to the north and by the U.S. states of Minneso ...

east to

Nova Scotia Nova Scotia is a Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Canada, located on its east coast. It is one of the three Maritime Canada, Maritime provinces and Population of Canada by province and territory, most populous province in Atlan ...

and southwest to eastern

Texas Texas ( , ; or ) is the most populous U.S. state, state in the South Central United States, South Central region of the United States. It borders Louisiana to the east, Arkansas to the northeast, Oklahoma to the north, New Mexico to the we ...

. The range of this species is from southern Ontario and Michigan to eastern North Dakota and southward to

Denison, Texas Denison is a city in Grayson County, Texas, United States, south of the Texas–Oklahoma border. Its population was 24,479 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, up from 22,682 at the 2010 United States Census, 2010 census. Denison is pa ...

, and Arizona. This tree inhabits wooded bottomlands, the prairie border, and the midwest

savanna A savanna or savannah is a mixed woodland-grassland (i.e. grassy woodland) biome and ecosystem characterised by the trees being sufficiently widely spaced so that the canopy does not close. The open canopy allows sufficient light to reach th ...

understorey.

Description

This tree grows to high with a dense crown of thorny branches and an ash-grey trunk. The

leaves A leaf (: leaves) is a principal appendage of the stem of a vascular plant, usually borne laterally above ground and specialized for photosynthesis. Leaves are collectively called foliage, as in "autumn foliage", while the leaves, stem, ...

are in length and often drop in late summer due to

defoliation A defoliant is any Herbicide, herbicidal chemical sprayed or dusted on plants to cause their Leaf, leaves to fall off. Defoliants are widely used for the selective removal of weeds in managing croplands and lawns. Worldwide use of defoliants, ...

by leaf diseases. The tree seems to suffer little from the early loss of its leaves. Among the earliest in the genus to bloom, downy hawthorn also has earliest ripening fruit, which decorate the defoliated tree in late summer and early fall. The large brightly colored edible fruit of the species ripen from the middle of August to early in September. It is closely related to '' Crataegus submollis'', but the two species have separate native ranges. Amongst other differences between these two species, ''C. submollis'' has approximately 10

stamens The stamen (: stamina or stamens) is a part consisting of the male reproductive organs of a flower. Collectively, the stamens form the androecium., p. 10 Morphology and terminology A stamen typically consists of a stalk called the filamen ...

, whereas ''C. mollis'' has approximately 20 stamens per flower. The white

flower Flowers, also known as blooms and blossoms, are the reproductive structures of flowering plants ( angiosperms). Typically, they are structured in four circular levels, called whorls, around the end of a stalk. These whorls include: calyx, m ...

s are borne in clusters at the end of the branches in spring. The bright red edible fruit ripens in late summer and early fall and falls soon after. This species is a target of

Gypsy moth ''Lymantria dispar'', also known as the gypsy moth or the spongy moth, is a species of moth in the family Erebidae native to Europe and Asia. ''Lymantria dispar'' is subdivided into several subspecies, with subspecies such as '' L. d. dispar'' ...

s. Leaf rusts and

fire blight Fire blight, also written fireblight, is a contagious disease affecting apples, pears, and some other members of the family Rosaceae. It is a serious concern to apple and pear producers. Under optimal conditions, it can destroy an entire orchard ...

are among the many foliage diseases to affect this species. The sharp thorns are a hazard. This species is uncommon in cultivation. The seeds of the species usually do not germinate until two to three years after the fruit has ripened as they have a latent period.

Gallery

Crataegus-mollis-trunk.jpg Crataegus-mollis-bud-break.jpg

References

*Sternberg, G. (2004). ''Native Trees for North American Landscapes'' pp. 264. Timber Press, Inc. {{Taxonbar, from=Q2671022 Flora of Canada mollis Trees of Northern America Flora of Northern America