Plant Details

Crataegus pennsylvanica

Pennsylvanian Hawthorn

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Explore the size, hardiness, soil, light, edible uses and harvest period of Crataegus pennsylvanica.

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Common names

6 names · 5 languages
EnglishYour language
  • Pennsylvania hawthorn[1][2]
  • Pennsylvanian Hawthorn
Other languages (4)
Dutch
  • Pennsylvania meidoorn
French
  • Aubépine de Pennsylvanie
Chinese (Simplified)
  • 宾州山楂[2]
Estonian
  • pensilvaania viirpuu[2]
Sources & name notes (2)

Names recorded in our plant catalogue and botanical sources, grouped by language. Usage can vary by region.

Numbered references identify names recorded by an external source. Other names are from our plant catalogue.

[1] Catalogue of Life 2026-08-20 — Crataegus pennsylvanica Ashe ↗

Common names from World Plants, version 26.05, reproduced in Catalogue of Life 2026-08-20. License: CC BY.

Source records
  • Pennsylvania hawthorn (EN) — VernacularName.tsv, line 171978; taxon 6BB72.
[2] Crataegus pennsylvanica — iNaturalist taxon names ↗

Community-curated iNaturalist taxonomy; common-name attestation, not an independent botanical determination.

Source records
  • Pennsylvania Hawthorn — results[0].names[1]; taxon id 161063; Crataegus pennsylvanica.
  • pensilvaania viirpuu — results[0].names[2]; taxon id 161063; Crataegus pennsylvanica.
  • 宾州山楂 — results[0].names[3]; taxon id 161063; Crataegus pennsylvanica.

General information

Scientific name: Crataegus pennsylvanica
Accepted name (Kew): Crataegus pennsylvanica Ashe View name reference ↗

Accepted in the cited Kew taxonomic treatment.

Sources [1] [2]
Botanical family: Rosaceae

Kew's family placement for the genus Crataegus (WCVP v16).

Sources [1]
Also known as: Pennsylvanian Hawthorn

Plant characteristics

Layer: Fruit tree, Shrub
Catalogue size class: Small, Medium
Height: 9.00 m
Spread: 6.00 m
Growth rate: Moderate
Foliage: Deciduous

Growing conditions

USDA hardiness: 5-9
Soil moisture:
Moist, Wet
Soil:
Sand (light) Loam (medium) Clay (heavy)
pH:
Acidic Neutral Alkaline
Light:
Partial shade, Full sun

Uses

Edible parts:
Fruit
Edibility rating:
(5)
Medicinal rating:
(2)
Functions:
Wood

Description

Fruit - fresh or cooked. With a diameter of up to 25 mm, this is a very tasty fruit, with a delightful semi-sweet flavor, even when it is not fully ripe. It can be eaten as a dessert and can also be made into jelly or dried for later use. The fruits grow in clusters of 4-12 and are easy to harvest. Each fruit contains up to five fairly large seeds, which often stay together, making it seem like enjoying a cherry-like fruit with a single pit.

Harvest

Harvest starts: 15/09
Harvest ends: 31/10

Sources and references

References for the information marked with source numbers on this page.

Sources checked
  1. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew World Checklist of Vascular Plants, version 16, extracted 4 June 2026
    Supports: Botanical familyTaxonomy
    Relevant sections
    • Botanical family: WCVP v16, wcvp_names.csv row 840805; name ID 2944742; Crataegus L.. Family column.
    • Taxonomy: WCVP v16, wcvp_names.csv row 1436776; name ID 2946804; Crataegus pennsylvanica Ashe.

    Source checked on .

    Source data licence: CC BY 3.0.

  2. Catalogue of Life Catalogue of Life 2026-08-20 — Crataegus pennsylvanica

    Taxonomic data from World Plants, version 26.05, reproduced in Catalogue of Life 2026-08-20.

    Supports: Taxonomy
    Relevant sections
    • Taxonomy: COL 2026-08-20, NameUsage.tsv line 2036164, ID 6BB72: Crataegus pennsylvanica Ashe (accepted).

    Source checked on .