Downy Hawthorn (Crataegus mollis)
*Preorder only*
Estimated Height at Pickup: 3-4’, 3 gal
An adaptable flowering tree excellent for wildlife support! Has an aesthetically pleasing natural form, but is susceptible to leaf blights that make it a poor choice for a showy landscaping tree (but don’t generally affect the health of the tree). A generally sparsely throned and hardy colonizer species.
Pollination: 2+ individuals recommended.
Light: Full Sun, Part Sun/Shade
Soil Moisture: Wet Mesic, Mesic, Dry Mesic
Soil Type: Loam, Sandy Loam, Rocky Loam, Clay Loam
Height: 20’-35’
Width: 15’-35’
Bloom Color: White
Bloom Time: May-Jun
Fruit: Small crabapple-like fruits mature in late summer.
Fall Color: Red, Brown
Root Type: Branching
Notable Wildlife Interactions: Flowers attract bees, flies, and beetles. Hosts the striped hairstreak butterfly, moths such as the hawthorn underwing, beetles, leafhoppers, and other small insects. 12+ bird species are know to eat the fruit, including cedar waxwings, blue jays, and wild turkey, as well as many mammals such as fox, raccoons, skunks, coyotes, and squirrels. Densely branching form provides good cover for birds and other wildlife.
Notes: Commonly hybridizes with other species in the genus. So variable is this species that it was formerly considered 12 different species.
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