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Crataegus aestivalis
May Haw
May Hawthorn
Florida native
An occasional hawthorn of wet hammocks and floodplain forests in north Florida, west into Jackson County and south into Levy and Volusia Counties. The range includes the southeastern coastal states from Mississippi to Virginia.
This deciduous shrub or small tree may grow up to 8m (~26 ft.) tall and frequently has prominent spines up to 4cm (~1-1/2 in.) long in the leaf axils. The alternate leaves are stiff, shiny green and simple with coarsely toothed or lobed margins. Leaves are 2-8cm (3/4 to 3 in.) long and 1-3.6cm (3/8 to 1-1/2 in.) wide. The prominent veins extend only to the teeth and the tip of the leaves. The undersides of the leaves may be pubescent, or at least with tufts in the proximal vein axils. From one to four white to pinkish five-petaled flowers appear in the leaf axils. Fruit is red, round and juicy, 8-10mm (~3/8 in.) in diameter and often with remains of the sepals at the distal end, characteristic of many of the haws.
Crataegus aestivalis is a member of the Rosaceae - Rose family.
Other species of the Crataegus genus in the Wild Florida Photo database:
Crataegus flava - YELLOWLEAF HAWTHORN
Crataegus marshallii - PARSLEY HAWTHORN
Crataegus michauxii - MICHAUX'S HAWTHORN
Crataegus spathulata - LITTLEHIP HAWTHORN
Atlas of Florida Vascular Plants (Institute for Systemic Botany) profile for this species
USDA Plant Profile for this species
Date record last modified: Aug 28, 2021
