Flower profile

Parsley hawthorn

Crataegus marshallii

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

Native to Louisiana

Parsley hawthorn is a flowering plant that USDA PLANTS lists as native in the lower 48 states. In Louisiana it's most often seen in bloom in March.

15states where USDA records it

543LA sightings*

3,516U.S. sightings*

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

On our lists for: Louisiana

Quick look

Crataegus marshallii is a species of hawthorn known by the common name parsley hawthorn. It is native to the southeastern United States.
From Wikipedia's article Crataegus marshallii, 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 15 states. ^{USDA PLANTS}
NatureServe lists it as native to Louisiana. ^NatureServe
In Louisiana, most iNaturalist sightings of it in flower come in March. ^iNaturalist
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 25 ft. ^{USDA PLANTS}
iNaturalist has 543 research-grade sightings of it in Louisiana, ranking #62 among the 154 flowers on our Louisiana list. ^iNaturalist

When does it bloom?

In Louisiana, most flowering sightings come in March.

Flowering records by month in Louisiana (iNaturalist research-grade observations marked “Flowering”) (101 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: G5 Secure worldwide. ^NatureServe
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: S5, secure in Louisiana.
Rare elsewhere: Other states where NatureServe ranks it rare or missing: KY (S1), MO (S1). (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 peopleNot well documented

None of the sources we checked (NC State Extension (no edibility or poison notes on its page), USDA PLANTS) say whether it's edible or poisonous for people. ^{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 parsley hawthorn in 15 states.

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recorded by USDA PLANTS on our state lists not recorded

See the full list of states

Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia.

Louisiana counties with USDA records: Acadia, Allen, Avoyelles, Bienville, Bossier, Caddo, Calcasieu, Caldwell, Catahoula, Claiborne, De Soto, East Baton Rouge, East Carroll, East Feliciana, Evangeline, Franklin, Grant, Iberville, Jackson, Jefferson Davis, LaSalle, Lincoln, Livingston, Morehouse, Natchitoches, Orleans, Ouachita, Rapides, Red River, Richland, Sabine, St. Helena, St. Landry, St. Tammany, Tangipahoa, Union, Vermilion, Vernon, Washington, Webster, West Carroll, West Feliciana, Winn.

Growing conditions

USDA PLANTS gives Parsley hawthorn a low shade tolerance, low drought tolerance and medium moisture use. It is rated for soil pH 5.8 to 7.2 and winter lows down to -3 °F.

Shade tolerance: Low
Drought tolerance: Low
Moisture use: Medium
Soil textures it is adapted to: medium, fine
Soil pH range: 5.8 to 7.2
Minimum temperature tolerated: -3 °F
Frost-free days needed (minimum): 240
Annual precipitation range: 34 to 60 inches
Minimum root depth: 18 inches
Salinity tolerance: None
Fertility requirement: Medium
Growth rate: Moderate
Lifespan: Moderate
Active growth period: Spring and Summer
Fruit or seed: Red · Summer to Fall
Can be propagated by: bare root, container, seed
Commercial availability: Routinely Available

From the USDA PLANTS characteristics data for CRMA5. 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 309 counties across 14 states; the most are in Mississippi (49), Arkansas (45), Louisiana (43).

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

More Louisiana flowers

Southern dewberry

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Lesser mock-strawberry

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Black cherry

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Sources

USDA, NRCS. PLANTS Database, profile CRMA5.
iNaturalist, Crataegus marshallii: taxonomy, research-grade observation counts and “Flowering” annotations, retrieved October 17, 2026.
Wikipedia, Crataegus marshallii (lead quoted under CC BY-SA 4.0).
USFWS, ECOS species database (ESA listing check), October 17, 2026.
NatureServe Explorer, Crataegus marshallii (global and state ranks).
Edibility and toxicity: NC State Extension; ASPCA.
Photo: drnancyjackson via iNaturalist · CC BY 4.0 · resized.