Bloomipedia
Green hawthorn (Crataegus viridis)
Photo: Lyrae via iNaturalist · CC BY 4.0 · resized

Flowering tree

Green hawthorn

Crataegus viridis

Green hawthorn (Crataegus viridis) is a tree in the Rosaceae family, native in the lower 48 states, blooming mostly March–April across the U.S.

🌷 Flowering treeNative in the lower 48

Green hawthorn is a popular flowering tree. It's on our flower lists for 23 states, and across the U.S. it's most often seen in bloom in March–April.

21states where USDA records it
23Bloomipedia state lists include it
876U.S. sightings*

*iNaturalist research-grade observations, as of October 23, 2026. Our state lists also include states where people grow it in gardens, so they can outnumber USDA's wild-plant records. Planted garden trees are mostly excluded from research grade.

On our lists for: Arkansas, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Missouri, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia

Quick look

Crataegus viridis, the green hawthorn or southern thorn, is a species of hawthorn that is native to the southeastern United States. The tree tends to grow to be 5–15 meters tall. Forms vary considerably, and many desirable ornamental forms could be selected from the wild. The cultivar 'Winter King' is a well-known selection.

  • 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 21 states. USDA PLANTS
  • In Texas, most iNaturalist sightings of it in flower come in March–April. iNaturalist
  • USDA PLANTS lists its flower color as white. USDA PLANTS
  • USDA PLANTS gives its bloom period as early spring. USDA PLANTS
  • USDA PLANTS lists a mature height of about 30 ft. USDA PLANTS
  • iNaturalist has 670 research-grade sightings of it in Texas, ranking #108 among the 169 flowers on our Texas list. iNaturalist
  • iNaturalist has 59 research-grade sightings of it in Arkansas, ranking #113 among the 170 flowers on our Arkansas list. iNaturalist
  • iNaturalist has 55 research-grade sightings of it in Louisiana, ranking #109 among the 154 flowers on our Louisiana list. iNaturalist

When does it bloom?

Flowering records by month across the U.S. (iNaturalist research-grade observations marked “Flowering”) (249 records)
Bloom time in the 23 states whose Bloomipedia list includes it
StateTypePeak bloomSightings*
Texas🌷 GardenMarch–April670
Arkansas🌷 Gardenfew records (17)59
Louisiana🌷 Gardenfew records (32)55
Florida🌷 Gardenfew records (11)39
Tennessee🌷 Gardenfew records (5)10
Georgia🌷 Gardenfew records (1)9
Illinois🌷 Gardenfew records (2)6
Missouri🌷 Gardenfew records (1)4
North Carolina🌷 Gardenno flowering records2
Virginia🌷 Gardenfew records (1)2
Colorado🌷 Gardenfew records (1)1
Kentucky🌷 Gardenno flowering records1
Maryland🌷 Gardenno flowering records1
New Jersey🌷 Gardenno flowering records1
New York🌷 Gardenno flowering records1
Pennsylvania🌷 Gardenfew records (1)1
Connecticut🌷 Gardenno flowering records0
Delaware🌷 Gardenno flowering records0
Indiana🌷 Gardenno flowering records0
Massachusetts🌷 Gardenno flowering records0
New Mexico🌷 Gardenno flowering records0
Ohio🌷 Gardenno flowering records0
Utah🌷 Gardenno flowering records0

Conservation status

Federal (U.S. ESA)
Not listed No U.S. Endangered Species Act listing in the USFWS ECOS database. USFWS ECOS
NatureServe global
G5 Secure worldwide. NatureServe
State rare plant lists
Not listed Not on the official rare plant list in 18 of our 23 states.
See each state
Texas
Not listed Not on Texas endangered and threatened plants (31 Tex. Admin. Code § 69.8), as listed by Texas Parks and Wildlife. NatureServe: SNR, not yet ranked in Texas. 31 TAC 69.8
Florida
Not listed Not on Florida Regulated Plant Index (Fla. Admin. Code 5B-40.0055). NatureServe: SNR, not yet ranked in Florida. FAC 5B-40.0055
Tennessee
Not listed Not on Tennessee endangered plants (Tenn. Comp. R. & Regs. 0400-06-02-.04, Rare Plant Protection and Conservation Act). NatureServe: SNR, not yet ranked in Tennessee. TN rule 0400-06-02-.04
Georgia
Not listed Not on Georgia protected plants (Ga. Comp. R. & Regs. 391-4-10-.09; a 2026 update is proposed). NatureServe: SNR, not yet ranked in Georgia. Ga. R. 391-4-10-.09
Illinois
Not listed Not on Illinois List of Endangered and Threatened Flora (17 Ill. Adm. Code 1050), per the Endangered Species Protection Board's 2025 checklist. NatureServe: SNR, not yet ranked in Illinois. IL E&T checklist 2025
Missouri
Not listed Not on Missouri Wildlife Code endangered species (3 CSR 10-4.111), plants. NatureServe: SNR, not yet ranked in Missouri. 3 CSR 10-4.111
North Carolina
Not listed Not on North Carolina Protected Plant Species List (02 NCAC 48F .0301). NatureServe: S4, apparently secure in North Carolina. 02 NCAC 48F .0301
Virginia
Not listed Not on Virginia endangered and threatened plant and insect species (2VAC5-320-10). NatureServe: S4, apparently secure in Virginia. 2VAC5-320-10
Kentucky
Not listed Not on Kentucky endangered and threatened plant lists (400 KAR 3:040, eff. 2026). NatureServe: S5, secure in Kentucky. 400 KAR 3:040
Maryland
Not listed Not on Maryland threatened and endangered plants (COMAR 08.03.08.05, .06 and .08). NatureServe: SNR, not yet ranked in Maryland. COMAR 08.03.08
New Jersey
Not listed Not on New Jersey Endangered Plant Species List (N.J.A.C. 7:5C-5.1). NatureServe has no New Jersey rank for it. N.J.A.C. 7:5C-5.1
New York
Not listed Not on New York protected native plants (6 NYCRR § 193.3). NatureServe has no New York rank for it. 6 NYCRR § 193.3
Pennsylvania
Not listed Not on Pennsylvania classified native plants (17 Pa. Code Ch. 45, Subchapter B, as amended 2023). NatureServe has no Pennsylvania rank for it. 17 Pa. Code Ch. 45
Connecticut
Not listed Not on Connecticut Endangered, Threatened and Special Concern Plants (RCSA 26-306; 2015 list). NatureServe has no Connecticut rank for it. CT E/T/SC list
Delaware
Not listed Not on Rare and Uncommon Plants of Delaware (DNREC, 2024; informational, Delaware has no state plant-protection list). NatureServe: SU, unrankable in Delaware. DE rare plants 2024
Massachusetts
Not listed Not on Massachusetts Endangered Species Act list (321 CMR 10.90). NatureServe has no Massachusetts rank for it. MESA list
New Mexico
Not listed Not on New Mexico state endangered plant species (19.21.2.9 NMAC). NatureServe has no New Mexico rank for it. 19.21.2.9 NMAC
Ohio
Not listed Not on Ohio endangered and threatened plants (Ohio Adm. Code 1501:18-1-03, eff. Dec. 26, 2024). NatureServe has no Ohio rank for it. OAC 1501:18-1-03
Arkansas
No list Arkansas has no state law listing endangered or threatened plants, so we show NatureServe's Arkansas ranks instead. NatureServe: SNR, not yet ranked in Arkansas.
Louisiana
No list Louisiana has no state list of endangered or threatened plants separate from the federal list, so we show federal status and NatureServe's Louisiana ranks. NatureServe: SNR, not yet ranked in Louisiana.
Colorado
No list Colorado has no state law listing endangered or threatened plants, so we show NatureServe's Colorado ranks instead. NatureServe has no Colorado rank for it.
Indiana
No list Indiana has no state law listing endangered or threatened plants (the DNR keeps a rare plant list, but it isn't regulatory), so we show NatureServe's Indiana ranks instead. NatureServe: SNR, not yet ranked in Indiana.
Utah
No list Utah has no state law listing endangered or threatened plants, so we show NatureServe's Utah ranks instead. NatureServe has no Utah rank for it.
Rare elsewhere
Other states where NatureServe ranks it rare or missing: KS (S2), WV (S1). (S1 critically imperiled, S2 imperiled, SH possibly extirpated, SX presumed extirpated.)

Checked October 23, 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, but not of high quality. It can be used to make jelly, but is often left for the birds.” NC State Extension

For petsNon-toxic to dogs, cats and horses

ASPCA's entry “Haws” (Crataegus species), which covers the whole genus, 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 green hawthorn in 21 states.

recorded by USDA PLANTS on our state lists not recorded

See the full list of states

Alabama, Arkansas, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, Missouri, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, West Virginia.

Texas counties with USDA records: Angelina, Bandera, Bell, Bowie, Brazoria, Brazos, Brown, Burleson, Caldwell, Chambers, Cherokee, Coleman, Collin, Comanche, Dallas, Denton, Eastland, Ellis, Fort Bend, Galveston, Gonzales, Grayson, Gregg, Harris, Harrison, Hays, Hill, Houston, Hunt, Jackson, Jasper, Jefferson, Leon, Liberty, Llano, Madison, Marion, Mason, McLennan, Milam, Nacogdoches, Robertson, Rockwall, San Augustine, San Jacinto, San Saba, Tarrant, Travis, Trinity, Waller, Wharton, Williamson.

Arkansas counties with USDA records: Ashley, Bradley, Carroll, Clark, Clay, Cleveland, Craighead, Desha, Drew, Faulkner, Franklin, Garland, Grant, Hempstead, Hot Spring, Howard, Jackson, Jefferson, Lafayette, Lee, Lincoln, Madison, Miller, Mississippi, Monroe, Montgomery, Ouachita, Phillips, Poinsett, Prairie, Pulaski, Sevier, St. Francis, Union, Washington.

Louisiana counties with USDA records: Acadia, Allen, Ascension, Assumption, Avoyelles, Bienville, Bossier, Caddo, Calcasieu, Caldwell, Cameron, Catahoula, Claiborne, Concordia, De Soto, East Baton Rouge, East Feliciana, Franklin, Grant, Iberville, Jackson, Jefferson, Jefferson Davis, LaSalle, Lafayette, Lafourche, Lincoln, Madison, Morehouse, Natchitoches, Orleans, Ouachita, Rapides, Red River, Richland, St. Charles, St. John the Baptist, St. Landry, St. Martin, Tensas, Union, Vermilion, Vernon, Washington, Webster, Winn.

Growing conditions

USDA PLANTS gives Green hawthorn a high shade tolerance, low drought tolerance and high moisture use. It is rated for soil pH 4.3 to 7.3 and winter lows down to -24 °F.

Shade tolerance
High
Drought tolerance
Low
Moisture use
High
Soil textures it is adapted to
medium, fine
Soil pH range
4.3 to 7.3
Minimum temperature tolerated
-24 °F
Frost-free days needed (minimum)
180
Annual precipitation range
36 to 60 inches
Minimum root depth
18 inches
Salinity tolerance
None
Fertility requirement
Medium
Growth rate
Moderate
Lifespan
Long
Active growth period
Spring and Summer
Fruit or seed
Red · Spring to Fall
Can be propagated by
bare root, container, seed
Commercial availability
Routinely Available

From the USDA PLANTS characteristics data for CRVI2. USDA ratings are general guidance for the species, not a guarantee for your garden.

Names, range and relatives

County records: USDA PLANTS lists it in 345 counties across 17 states; the most are in Texas (52), Louisiana (46), Arkansas (35).

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

More Texas flowers

Southern dewberry (Rubus trivialis)

Southern dewberry

Rubus trivialis

Native

🌼 Blooms in TX: March
Roses (genus Rosa) (Rosa)

Roses (genus Rosa)

Rosa

★ NY state flower🌷 Garden flower

🌼 Blooms in TX: March–June
European pear (Pyrus communis)

European pear

Pyrus communis

🌷 Fruit tree

🌷 Grown in Texas gardens

Sources