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littlehip hawthorn

Scientific Name: Crataegus spathulata

Family: Rosaceae

Category: Dicot

Growth: Tree, Shrub

Duration: Perennial

Other Names:

       

Littlehip Hawthorn (Crataegus spathulata)

The Littlehip Hawthorn, scientifically known as Crataegus spathulata, is a charming species of hawthorn native to the southeastern United States.

Common Names

  • Littlehip Hawthorn
  • Pasture Hawthorn
  • Smallfruit Hawthorn

Taxonomy and Nomenclature

  • Scientific Name: Crataegus spathulata Michx.
  • Family: Rosaceae (Rose Family)

Distribution and Habitat

Littlehip Hawthorn is prevalent in east Texas, where it thrives in open pasturelands and tolerates almost any soil type. It is also found in Georgia and throughout the southeastern United States.

Morphological Characteristics and Growth Habits

  • It can grow as a large shrub or small tree.
  • Leaves are smaller and spoon-shaped compared to other hawthorns.
  • The bark is particularly attractive, especially on older specimens, exhibiting a beautiful exfoliating (peeling) pattern with gray, orange, and brown hues.
  • The fruit is a red pome tipped with persistent reflexed calyx lobes.

Interactions with Other Organisms

Songbirds are known to nest in Littlehip Hawthorn trees and consume their fruit.