Hawthorn Trees
Hawthorn trees are tough, character-rich ornamentals well suited to Colorado landscapes. They feature spring white blossoms, glossy green foliage, bright red berries, and strong fall color. Cold-hardy and adaptable, hawthorns perform well on the Front Range and are a solid choice for smaller yards, wind exposure, and challenging sites.
- Genus
- Crataegus
- Category
- Ornamental Trees
- Species Profiled
- 4
About the Genus
Hawthorn trees are tough, character-rich ornamentals well suited to Colorado landscapes. They feature spring white blossoms, glossy green foliage, bright red berries, and strong fall color. Cold-hardy and adaptable, hawthorns perform well on the Front Range and are a solid choice for smaller yards, wind exposure, and challenging sites.
Hawthorn species we recommend
Every hawthorn below has been selected for proven performance in Front Range conditions.
- 01
Russian Hawthorn
Crataegus ambiguaRussian Hawthorn is a small, exceptionally tough ornamental tree known for outstanding drought and alkaline-soil tolerance. Its fine-textured, deeply lobed foliage, white spring flowers, and small red fruit make it well suited to dry, exposed Front Range sites.
- 02
Thornless Cockspur Hawthorn
Crataegus crus-galli var. inermisThornless Cockspur Hawthorn is a tough, adaptable ornamental tree that offers the glossy foliage, white spring flowers, and persistent red fruit of Cockspur Hawthorn without the thorns, making it a safer choice near walkways, patios, and play areas.
- 03
Toba Hawthorn
Crataegus × mordenensis 'Toba'Toba Hawthorn is a cold-hardy ornamental tree valued for its fragrant, double flowers that open white and age to pink, its picturesque twisted trunk and branching, and its tough constitution in Front Range conditions.
- 04
Winter King Hawthorn
Crataegus viridis 'Winter King'Winter King Hawthorn is widely regarded as one of the best ornamental hawthorns available, prized for its outstanding persistent orange-red fruit, silvery bark, and good resistance to cedar-hawthorn rust compared to other hawthorn cultivars.
Related Resources
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