Flower profile

Black hawthorn

Crataegus douglasii

Black hawthorn (Crataegus douglasii) is a shrub or small tree in the Rosaceae family, native in the lower 48 states, blooming mostly April–June across the U.S.

Native to Idaho

Black hawthorn is a flowering plant that USDA PLANTS lists as native in the lower 48 states.

13states where USDA records it

402ID sightings*

1,517U.S. sightings*

*iNaturalist research-grade observations, as of October 17, 2026.

On our lists for: Idaho

Quick look

Crataegus douglasii is a North American species of hawthorn known by the common names black hawthorn and Douglas' thornapple. It is most abundant in the Pacific Northwest.
From Wikipedia's article Crataegus douglasii, CC BY-SA 4.0.

It belongs to the Rosaceae family. ^iNaturalist
USDA PLANTS describes it as a shrub / a tree with a perennial life cycle. ^{USDA PLANTS}
USDA PLANTS lists it as native in the lower 48 states and records it in 13 states. ^{USDA PLANTS}
NatureServe lists it as native to Idaho. ^NatureServe
USDA PLANTS lists its flower color as white. ^{USDA PLANTS}
USDA PLANTS gives its bloom period as mid spring. ^{USDA PLANTS}
USDA PLANTS lists a mature height of about 15 ft. ^{USDA PLANTS}
iNaturalist has 402 research-grade sightings of it in Idaho, ranking #99 among the 143 flowers on our Idaho list. ^iNaturalist

When does it bloom?

Flowering records by month in Idaho (iNaturalist research-grade observations marked “Flowering”) (46 records)

Conservation status

Federal (U.S. ESA): Not listed No U.S. Endangered Species Act listing in the USFWS ECOS database. ^{USFWS ECOS}
NatureServe global: G4 Apparently secure worldwide. ^NatureServe
Idaho: No list Idaho has no state law listing endangered or threatened plants, so we show NatureServe's Idaho ranks instead. NatureServe: SNR, not yet ranked in Idaho.
Rare elsewhere: Other states where NatureServe ranks it rare or missing: AK (SH). (S1 critically imperiled, S2 imperiled, SH possibly extirpated, SX presumed extirpated.)

Checked October 17, 2026. Rankings and lists can change, so follow the links for the latest.

Can you eat it?

For peopleEdible (per NC State Extension)

NC State Extension notes: “Fruit is edible raw or cooked. Pleasant flavor with a sweet and juicy succulent flesh. Desert fruit and used for making pies, preserves etc, and can be dried for later use.” ^{NC State Extension}

For petsNon-toxic to dogs, cats and horses

ASPCA's entry “Black Hawthorn” (Crataegus douglasii) lists it as non-toxic to dogs, cats and horses. Eating lots of any plant can still upset a pet's stomach. ^ASPCA

🌿 Never eat a wild plant unless you're certain of its ID; this isn't medical advice. Worried about a person? Call Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222. Worried about a pet? Call your vet.

Where does it grow?

USDA PLANTS records black hawthorn in 13 states.

AKMEVTNHWAIDMTNDMNILWIMINYRIMAORNVWYSDIAINOHPANJCTCAUTCONEMOKYWVVAMDDEAZNMKSARTNNCSCDCOKLAMSALGAHITXFL

recorded by USDA PLANTS on our state lists not recorded

See the full list of states

Alaska, California, Idaho, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, Nevada, North Dakota, Oregon, South Dakota, Washington, Wisconsin, Wyoming.

Idaho counties with USDA records: Ada, Adams, Bannock, Bear Lake, Benewah, Boise, Bonner, Bonneville, Boundary, Camas, Clark, Clearwater, Custer, Elmore, Franklin, Fremont, Gem, Idaho, Kootenai, Latah, Lemhi, Nez Perce, Oneida, Owyhee, Power, Shoshone, Teton, Valley, Washington.

Growing conditions

USDA PLANTS gives Black hawthorn a medium shade tolerance, low drought tolerance and high moisture use. It is rated for soil pH 4.8 to 7.5 and winter lows down to -47 °F.

Shade tolerance: Medium
Drought tolerance: Low
Moisture use: High
Soil textures it is adapted to: coarse, medium, fine
Soil pH range: 4.8 to 7.5
Minimum temperature tolerated: -47 °F
Frost-free days needed (minimum): 120
Annual precipitation range: 16 to 260 inches
Minimum root depth: 12 inches
Salinity tolerance: None
Fertility requirement: Low
Growth rate: Moderate
Lifespan: Moderate
Active growth period: Spring, Summer, Fall
Fruit or seed: Black · Spring to Fall
Can be propagated by: bare root, container, cuttings, seed
Commercial availability: Routinely Available

From the USDA PLANTS characteristics data for CRDO2. USDA ratings are general guidance for the species, not a guarantee for your garden.

Names, range and relatives

Native status by region (USDA PLANTS): Alaska: Native; Canada: Native; Lower 48 states: Native.

Other scientific names (synonyms in USDA PLANTS): Crataegus columbiana.

County records: USDA PLANTS lists it in 144 counties across 10 states; the most are in Washington (36), Oregon (33), Idaho (29).

Other Crataegus on Bloomipedia (4): Hawthorns, Common hawthorn, Parsley hawthorn, Green hawthorn.

More from the Rosaceae family (103 on Bloomipedia; most observed first): Roses (genus Rosa), Multiflora rose, Mock strawberry, Black cherry, Toyon, Thimbleberry, Wineberry, Black raspberry.

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Sources

USDA, NRCS. PLANTS Database, profile CRDO2.
iNaturalist, Crataegus douglasii: taxonomy, research-grade observation counts and “Flowering” annotations, retrieved October 17, 2026.
Wikipedia, Crataegus douglasii (lead quoted under CC BY-SA 4.0).
Idaho: Idaho noxious weeds (IDAPA 02.06.09, Section 220).
USFWS, ECOS species database (ESA listing check), October 17, 2026.
NatureServe Explorer, Crataegus douglasii (global and state ranks).
Edibility and toxicity: NC State Extension; ASPCA.
Photo: Charles Swift via iNaturalist · CC BY 4.0 · resized.