Crataegus flabellata aka Fanleaf Hawthorn

Crataegus flabellata is also called fanleaf hawthorn. It belongs to Rosaceae, the rose family. This shrub comes from eastern North America. Plants For A Future gives its range as Quebec south to South Carolina. The range extends west to Louisiana. The source also lists Ontario, New Brunswick, and Nova Scotia. It grows in thickets, open woods, and dry, open ground. It also grows at woodland edges and on high stream banks.

The plant grows about 20 feet [6 metres] tall. It is deciduous, which means it sheds its leaves for winter. The sources give no bark or leaf shape details for this species. Its flowers have both male and female organs. Midges carry pollen between the flowers. The fruit grows in small groups. Each fruit reaches about 0.6 inches [15 millimetres] long. It can reach about 0.3 inches [8 millimetres] across. Each holds up to five rather large seeds. These may stick together and feel like one stone.

Grow this shrub in full sun for fruit. It grows in light shade, but yields less fruit of lower quality. It prefers loam that holds moisture but drains well. It also grows in sand, heavy clay, and chalk. Soils can range from mildly acid to strongly alkaline. Once established, plants cope with drought and very moist ground. They withstand strong winds and air pollution, but not coastal exposure. Plants For A Future lists USDA zones 4–8. It also reports that the shrub withstands frost well.

The fruit has sweet, soft flesh with a mealy texture. People can eat it raw or cook it. It suits pies and preserves, or drying for later use. Plants grown from seed take five to eight years to bear fruit. The shrub suits a woodland garden or sunny woodland edge. Its wood is dense, hard, and tough. People use it for tool handles, mallets, and other small objects.

Plants For A Future calls this species easy to grow. Growing it from seed can take patience, though. Fresh autumn seed may sprout next spring or wait another year. Stored seed may take longer, with seeds sprouting at different times. The source lists no known hazards and no weed potential. The supplied evidence names no pests or diseases specific to this species.