FNPS Plant Database
Crataegus aestivalis
may haw, apple haw
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Nomenclature
Common Name:
may haw, apple haw
Synonym(s):
Genus species:
Crataegus aestivalis
Family:
Rosaceae
Plant Specifics
Form:
tree
Size:
25-30 ft tall by 35-40 ft wide
Life Span:
long-lived perennial
Flower Color:
white
Fruit Color:
red
Phenology:
deciduous
Noted For:
Landscaping
Recommended Uses:
Specimen plant or wildlife planting for moist areas. Screen plant. Suggested by University of Florida/IFAS as a median planting or buffer planting for roadways.
Considerations:
Availability:
Propagation:
Seed. Sow fresh but may require a year or more to sprout.
Light:
Moisture Tolerance:
Always Flooded------------------------------------------------Extremely Dry
Stays wet ---to--- Not wet but not extremely dry
Salt Water Flooding Tolerance:
Not salt tolerant of inundation by salty or brackish water
Salt Spray/Salty Soil Tolerance:
Low/no tolerance of salty wind or direct salt spray
Soil or Other Substrate:
Clay, Loam, Sand
Soil pH:
adaptable
Suitable to Grow In:
8A, 8B, 9A, 9B
USDA zones are based on the average annual extreme minimum winter temperature.

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Ecology
Wildlife:
Apparently less interesting as a wildlife food tree than some other haws.
Larval food for hummingbird clearwing (Hemaris thysbe) and blinded sphinx (Paonias excaecata). Attracts pollinators, especially important for native bees.
Native Habitats:
In and near pools and small ponds, floodplains, swamps, especially where water stands much of the time.
Natural Range in Florida:
Visit the USF Libraries Atlas of Florida Plants
Comments:
Ethnobotany:
General Comments:
The various sources have conflicting opinions on the fruit and its uses.
