Cockspur Hawthorn

(Rosaceae - Rose Family)

Form

• small ornamental tree
• maturing at about 15' tall by 20' wide
• horizontal spreading growth habit, becoming flat-topped with age
• slow growth rate in the vertical dimension, but medium growth rate in the horizontal direction

Culture

• full sun to partial sun
• prefers a moist, well-drained soil in full sun, but is very urban tolerant, including adaptability to poor soils, various soil pHs, compacted soils, drought, heat, and Winter salt spray
• propagated by seeds or by stem cuttings grafted onto seedling rootstock
• Rose Family, with several potential pests (including leaf blotch miner) and diseases (especially rusts, with the stereotype being cedar hawthorn rust that affects the fruit, foliage, and stems)
• moderately available in ball and burlap form
• often limbed up as the tree matures, as branching is naturally low
• Cockspur Hawthorn is somewhat sensitive to being transplanted in Autumn, and care should be taken to amend the soil, fertilize, water thoroughly, mulch adequately, and avoid Winter salt spray, to enhance survival chances during the first Winter

Foliage

• dark glossy to waxy green, about 3" long, alternate, short-petioled, strongly obovate with a long cuneate base (i.e., spatulate), with fine marginal serrations on the upper widened portion of the leaf blade
• leaves are held distinctly upright above the stem, and in a V-shaped staggered arrangement if one looks down the axis of the stem
• fall color is often a showy multicolored array of red, purple, orange, and yellow waxy leaves on the tree at the same time, coloring in late October and early November

Flowers

• white 2" wide inflorescences blanket the tree in late May, effective for one to two weeks and very malodorous

Fruits

• green turning to orange by September, then to brick red in November and often persistent into January or later
• clusters of pendulous 0.5" round fruits make this a very attractive ornamental tree in early Winter (similar to some Crabapples [Malus])
• readily eaten by birds and squirrels

Twigs

• red-brown stems with small buds, with the older stems and branches becoming gray
• thorns are very prominent, to 2" long, slightly curved, downturned on the lower half of the stems and very prominent (hence the common name of Cockspur Hawthorn, in resembling a rooster's or "cock's" curved spur)
• very densely twiggy and thorny, especially with age

Trunk

• often multi-trunked and armed on the trunk with prominently branched thorns that are a potential liability (except for thornless forms)
• often limbed up with age, as branching is naturally low for this relatively short and horizontally branching tree

ID Summary

• waxy, deep green, spatulate leaves with finely serrated margins are held in alternate fashion above the stems, while the long curving thorns are downturned along the bottom of the stems
• inflorescences are white, showy, but very malodorous, in late May, giving rise to brick-red large fruits in late Summer that persist into early Winter before abscission or consumption by wildlife
• bark is exfoliating in thin gray strips, but primarily noted for the compound thorns that adorn the trunk
• growth habit is decidedly horizontal and flat-toppped, with an extremely dense and thorny canopy with age (except for thornless forms)

USAGE

Function

• focal point, specimen, street, deciduous screen, tall barrier hedge, seasonal accent, entranceway, group planting, or wildlife attraction tree

Texture

• medium texture in foliage but bold texture when bare
• thick density when in foliage and when bare

Assets

• very urban tolerant
• Winter salt spray tolerant
• four-season accent ornamental tree
• horizontally spreading growth habit and bold texture is very distinctive and architecturally useful in the landscape, especially in Winter
• showy white inflorescence in mid-Spring
• glossy dark green Summer foliage turns to a muticolored array of fall color in Autumn
• crabapple-like brick red fruits mature in late Summer and are retained into early Winter
• fruits, dense branches, and prominent thorns attract birds and squirrels for food and refuge
• a thornless variety is available

Liabilities

• very malodorous inflorescences for one to two weeks in late May
• aggregrate thorns on trunks and single large thorns on low branches create a liability for significant injury to the skin, flesh, or eyes, irrespective of whether one is involved in maintenance to the tree, or is a passerby
• fruit litter in Winter is a potential liability in heavy traffic areas (such as sidewalks and asphalt driveways, where pedestrians can slip on the round fruits and fall)
• several significant pests and diseases, some strictly cosmetic in effect, while others may lead to a decline in the overall vigor of the tree

Habitat

• zones 3 to 7
• native to the Northern and Midwestern United States and Southern Canada

SELECTIONS

Alternates

• small trees with good multiseason effect (Acer palmatum, Amelanchier, Cornus florida, Malus, etc.)
• trees or large shrubs serving as wildlife food sources and refuges (Crataegus phaenopyrum, Lonicera tatarica, Lonicera maackii, Viburnum prunifolium, etc.)

Variants

• clump (multistemmed) or tree (single leader) forms are available
• Crataegus crus-galli inermis 'Crusader' - Crusader Thornless Cockspur Hawthorn - a cultivar of a variety that is completely thornless on the trunks and branches, very useful in urban areas as a specimen, group planting, or small street tree, maturing at 15' tall by 15' wide, without the liability of thorn damage to humans, and resistant to rust on the fruits

NOTES

Translation

• Crataegus translates as "strength", referring to its wood strength.
• crus-galli translates as "cock's spur" in reference to the stem thorns resembling a rooster's spur.
• inermis, where applicable, translates as "thornless".

Purpose

• Cockspur Hawthorn is a four-season small ornamental tree highlighted by its distinctive horizontal habit and thorny bold texture.

Summary

• Crataegus crus-galli is a small tree with horizontal, spreading branches and a flat-topped shape at maturity, good for its showy white inflorescences, brick-red fruits, glossy Summer and vibrantly multicolored Autumn foliage, and bold Winter texture.