Red Haw

Description:

It is a small, dense, broad-rounded tree to 20-25’ tall with horizontal branching armed with thorns (to 2” long). It is also seen as a large multi-stemmed shrub. Ovate (sometimes rounded), dark green leaves (to 3” long) are broadest near the base and sometimes lobed near the top. Leaves are coarsely toothed and mostly hairless. Leaves turn orange to purple red in fall. White flowers (in corymbs) bloom in May. Flowers emit an unpleasant fragrance. Flowers are followed by rounded fruits (1/2” diameter) that ripen to scarlet in September-October and typically persist to late fall/early winter. Fruits are technically edible, but are usually best left for the birds. The fruit is sometimes called a haw.

Habitat:

Scarlet hawthorn or Ontario hawthorn is native to eastern North America. In Canada, it occurs in southern Quebec and southern Ontario. In the U. S., it occurs from Maine to Minnesota south to Kentucky.

Notes:

Spotted along Webster Ferry Landing Rd at Red Top Mountain State Park Add'l ref: http://www.missouribotanicalgarden.org/g...