[Hawthorns: The Genus Crataegus East of the Cascade Mountains of Oregon and Washington]

Douglas Hawthorn, Black Hawthorn

Crataegus douglasii

Synonyms: Crataegus columbiana, Crataegus columbiana var. columbiana, Crataegus douglasii var. douglasii

Douglas Hawthorn, Black Hawthorn: Crataegus douglasii (Synonyms: Crataegus columbiana var. columbiana, Crataegus douglasii var. douglasii)

This photo shows a close-up of the leaves and flowers of Douglas' hawthorn as seen along Forest Road #4650 about one mile east of Haystack Rock at the eastern side of Chief Joseph Canyon in the northern Wallowa-Whitman National Forest.........June 26, 2008.

Leaf of Douglas Hawthorn, Black Hawthorn: Crataegus douglasii (Synonyms: Crataegus columbiana var. columbiana, Crataegus douglasii var. douglasii)The photo at right shows a close-up of the leaf of douglas' hawthorn as seen in wetlands at the northern edge of Zumwalt Prairie in northeastern Oregon.......................July 9, 2007.
Characteristics:

Black hawthorn is a deciduous shrub or small tree from 1-12 meters high. The bark is rough and scaly with gray coloration on the older branches and the younger branches a dark reddish brown The thorns are 12-25 mm long. The leaves alternate on the branches, and they are simple with pinnate venation. The leaves are 25-75 mm long, broadly obovate in shape, and with double toothed margins.

The numerous flowers are in flat-topped clusters or corymbs. The individual flowers are about 15 mm wide with 5 white, orbicular petals. The sepals are short and triangular. Typically there are 10 stamens, each with pink anthers. There are 4-5 styles. The fruit are black and smooth surfaced, and this is what gives this hawthorn its common name.

This species is similar to Suksdorf's hawthorn (Crataegus suksdorfii). Although leaf shape is commonly used, this may be unreliable. The preferred characteristic used for differentiation is the number of stamens as well as the color of the young branches.


Habitat:

Black hawthorn is found in meadows, on dry hillsides, and in riparian areas.


Range:

Black hawthorn may be found from southern British Columbia south along the eastern edge of the Cascades to California. It may be found eastward to Alberta and south Wyoming. It may also be found in the Puget Trough.


Flower of Douglas Hawthorn, Black Hawthorn: Crataegus douglasii (Synonyms: Crataegus columbiana var. columbiana, Crataegus douglasii var. douglasii) - Leaf of Douglas Hawthorn, Black Hawthorn: Crataegus douglasii (Synonyms: Crataegus columbiana var. columbiana, Crataegus douglasii var. douglasii) - Douglas Hawthorn, Black Hawthorn: Crataegus douglasii (Synonyms: Crataegus columbiana var. columbiana, Crataegus douglasii var. douglasii) - Thorn of Douglas Hawthorn, Black Hawthorn: Crataegus douglasii (Synonyms: Crataegus columbiana var. columbiana, Crataegus douglasii var. douglasii)

These 4 photos show close-up details of the leaves, thorns and flowers of Douglas' hawthorn as seen along Forest Road #4650 about one mile east of Haystack Rock at the eastern side of Chief Joseph Canyon in the northern Wallowa-Whitman National Forest.........June 26, 2008.

Thorn of Douglas Hawthorn, Black Hawthorn: Crataegus douglasii (Synonyms: Crataegus columbiana var. columbiana, Crataegus douglasii var. douglasii) - Leaf of Douglas Hawthorn, Black Hawthorn: Crataegus douglasii (Synonyms: Crataegus columbiana var. columbiana, Crataegus douglasii var. douglasii) - Leaf of Douglas Hawthorn, Black Hawthorn: Crataegus douglasii (Synonyms: Crataegus columbiana var. columbiana, Crataegus douglasii var. douglasii)

The photos directly above show views of the thorns and leaves of black hawthorn as seen near Memaloose in Hells Canyon National Recreational Area.........July 11, 2007.

Fruits and leaves of Douglas Hawthorn, Black Hawthorn: Crataegus douglasii (Synonyms: Crataegus columbiana var. columbiana, Crataegus douglasii var. douglasii) - Fruits of Douglas Hawthorn, Black Hawthorn: Crataegus douglasii (Synonyms: Crataegus columbiana var. columbiana, Crataegus douglasii var. douglasii) - Thorn of Douglas Hawthorn, Black Hawthorn: Crataegus douglasii (Synonyms: Crataegus columbiana var. columbiana, Crataegus douglasii var. douglasii) - Leaf of Douglas Hawthorn, Black Hawthorn: Crataegus douglasii (Synonyms: Crataegus columbiana var. columbiana, Crataegus douglasii var. douglasii) - Leaf of Douglas Hawthorn, Black Hawthorn: Crataegus douglasii (Synonyms: Crataegus columbiana var. columbiana, Crataegus douglasii var. douglasii)

The photos directly above show various views of the fruits, thorns and leaves of douglas' hawthorn as seen in wetlands at the northern edge of Zumwalt Prairie in northeastern Oregon.........July 9, 2007.

Maturing fruits of Black Hawthorn, Douglas' Hawthorn: Crataegus douglasii (Synonyms: Crataegus columbiana,  Crataegus columbiana var. columbiana, Crataegus douglasii var. douglasii) - Leaf of Black Hawthorn, Douglas' Hawthorn: Crataegus douglasii (Synonyms: Crataegus columbiana,  Crataegus columbiana var. columbiana, Crataegus douglasii var. douglasii)

Douglas' hawthorn observed in open oak forest north of Box Canyon Road, East Simcoe Mountain Unit of the Klickitat Wildlife Area......July 1, 2020.

Leaves of Douglas Hawthorn, Black Hawthorn: Crataegus douglasii (Synonyms: Crataegus columbiana var. columbiana, Crataegus douglasii var. douglasii) - Douglas Hawthorn, Black Hawthorn: Crataegus douglasii (Synonyms: Crataegus columbiana var. columbiana, Crataegus douglasii var. douglasii)

Black hawthorn seen left from the Columbia Hills, Columbia River Gorge...........late May, 1995. The photo at right shows black hawthorn blooming along one of the small perennial creeks draining south from Bickleton Ridge in the Bickleton Ridge Unit of the Klickitat Wildlife Area.........May 28, 2017.

Paul Slichter