Index of Species Information
SPECIES: Crataegus douglasii
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| Creative Commons image by Dave Powell, USDA Forest Service (retired), Bugwood.org. |
Introductory
SPECIES: Crataegus douglasii
AUTHORSHIP AND CITATION:
Habeck, R. J. 1991. Crataegus douglasii. In: Fire Effects Information System, [Online].
U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station,
Fire Sciences Laboratory (Producer). Available:
https://www.fs.usda.gov/database/feis/plants/shrub/cradou/all.html [].
Updates: On 24 January 2018, the common name of this species was changed in FEIS from: Douglas hawthorn
to: black hawthorn. The map and other images were also added at that time.
ABBREVIATION:
CRADOU
SYNONYMS:
Crataegus rivularis (Nutt.) Sarg.
SCS PLANT CODE:
CRDO2
COMMON NAMES:
black hawthorn
Douglas hawthorn
river hawthorn
western thornapple
TAXONOMY:
The currently accepted scientific name of black hawthorn is Crataegus
douglasii (Lindl.) [18]. There are two extant varieties, each
distinguishable by floral parts and geographic location [19]:
C. douglasii var. douglasii, Douglas hawthorn (typical variety)
C. douglasii var. rivularis, river hawthorn
C. douglasii var. douglasii and C. douglasii var. rivularis have 10
stamens each and occupy mesic sites in the northern Rocky Mountains [6].
LIFE FORM:
Tree, Shrub
FEDERAL LEGAL STATUS:
No special status
OTHER STATUS:
NO-ENTRY
DISTRIBUTION AND OCCURRENCE
SPECIES: Crataegus douglasii
GENERAL DISTRIBUTION:
The most widespread occurrence of black hawthorn is in the Pacific
Northwest, from southeastern Alaska south through British Columbia,
Alberta, Washington, and Oregon to northern California. Inland
distribution encompasses northern Nevada, Utah, Colorado, and Wyoming,
western Montana, and Idaho. Douglas hawthorn may also be found as a
disjunct in northern Michigan, Minnesota, Saskatchewan, and southern
Ontario [3,24,33,37].
 |
| Distribution of black hawthorn. Map from USGS:
1976 USDA, Forest Service map provided by Thompson and others [38]. |
ECOSYSTEMS:
FRES20 Douglas-fir
FRES21 Ponderosa pine
FRES28 Western hardwoods
FRES29 Sagebrush
FRES34 Chaparral - mountain shrub
FRES35 Pinyon - juniper
FRES36 Mountain grasslands
STATES:
AL CA CO ID MN MT NV OR UT WA
WY AB BC ON SK
BLM PHYSIOGRAPHIC REGIONS:
1 Northern Pacific Border
2 Cascade Mountains
3 Southern Pacific Border
4 Sierra Mountains
5 Columbia Plateau
6 Upper Basin and Range
8 Northern Rocky Mountains
9 Middle Rocky Mountains
KUCHLER PLANT ASSOCIATIONS:
K023 Juniper - pinyon woodland
K037 Mountain-mahogany - oak scrub
K038 Great Basin sagebrush
K051 Wheatgrass - bluegrass
K055 Sagebrush steppe
SAF COVER TYPES:
220 Rocky Mountain juniper
238 Western juniper
239 Pinyon - juniper
241 Western juniper
SRM (RANGELAND) COVER TYPES:
NO-ENTRY
HABITAT TYPES AND PLANT COMMUNITIES:
Douglas hawthorn generally occurs as an understory dominant in plant
community types, or associations. It mostly occurs as an understory
species within sites dominated by black cottonwood (Populus
trichocarpa), eastern cottonwood (P. deltoides), quaking aspen (P.
tremuloides), or ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa). In western Montana,
black hawthorn has been described as a nonextensive riparian dominance
type [17]. Pure stands of black hawthorn typically have an understory
occupied by Wood's rose (Rosa woodsii), chokecherry (Prunus virginiana),
or common snowberry (Symphoricarpos albus). In west-central Montana,
black hawthorn exhibited at least 5 percent cover value within the
tufted hairgrass (Deschampsia cespitosa) community type [28].
Publications listing black hawthorn as an indicator or dominant
species in habitat types (hts), community types (cts), or dominance
types (dts) are presented below:
Area Classification Authority
MT Riparian dts Hansen and others 1988
WA Steppe hts Daubenmire 1970
ne OR Riparian cts Kauffman and others 1985
MANAGEMENT CONSIDERATIONS
SPECIES: Crataegus douglasii
WOOD PRODUCTS VALUE:
Douglas hawthorn has no known wood products value.
IMPORTANCE TO LIVESTOCK AND WILDLIFE:
Forage production is usually low from black hawthorn thickets. Stands
may be so dense as to preclude most livestock use. Livestock will,
however, readily eat black hawthorn foliage when it is accessible
[11,17]. Douglas hawthorn thickets produce an abundant amount of food
and cover for wildlife species [27]. Dried fruits and stems provide
autumn food for frugivorous birds such as blue and sharp-tailed grouse
in Washington and Idaho [10,17,27]. Mule deer and small mammals consume
dry black hawthorn fruits in Utah during winter [1]. Marks and Marks
[27] found that sharp-tailed grouse in western Idaho fed exclusively on black
hawthorn fruits. No documentation, however, is available concerning bud
consumption when ripened fruits become unavailable.
PALATABILITY:
Seasonally, black hawthorn was found to be moderately palatable to
livestock. Evidence of hedging was apparent on many smaller individuals
on a site in northeastern Oregon [20]. Cattle prefer black hawthorn
thickets less than 3 feet (1 m) tall; stem utilization can often exceed
50 percent [28]. In Utah, black hawthorn is a poor browse species for
sheep, cattle, and horses [12].
NUTRITIONAL VALUE:
In general, the energy and protein value of black hawthorn is fair.
For ungulates and waterfowl in Utah, the food value is rated fair to
poor; for small nongame birds and mammals, it is rated good [12].
Nutritional information on black hawthorn fruit from the Rainbow Creek
Research Natural Area, southeastern Washington, is presented below [29]:
Mean Standard Error
------ -----------------
% Protein 3.740 0.02
% Lipid 3.760 0.08
% Neutral
Detergent
Fiber 19.340 2.14
% Ash 3.990 0.02
% Calcium 0.310 NA
% Magnesium 0.106 NA
% Phosphorus 0.156 NA
% Potassium 1.513 NA
* Percentages based on dry pulp masses
COVER VALUE:
Black hawthorn has good structural diversity, and provides both
thermal and hiding cover. Birds such as magpies and thrushes are
especially attracted to black hawthorn for cover and nesting due to
its thick, intricate branching [17]. Avian use is heaviest during the
nesting/brooding season, and at the time of fruit ripening [11]. During
the winter, black hawthorn continues to provide dense escape cover
[27]. Black-billed magpie nests are built mainly in black hawthorn
crowns, and long-eared owls will build their nests atop magpie nests
[11]. Fourteen species of birds were found to use black hawthorn for
nesting/brooding cover in northeastern Oregon [27]. Small mammals also
use black hawthorn stands for cover. Rickard [32] found deer mice and
long-tailed voles living in black hawthorn thickets. In a 1979 summer
census, it was estimated that 280 to 320 individuals/acre (700-800/ha)
were inhabiting a black hawthorn community. Mountain voles made up 80
percent of the population in all seasons [20].
The degree to which black hawthorn provides environmental protection
during one or more seasons for wildlife species is presented below [12]:
Utah Wyoming
------ ----------
Pronghorn poor poor
Elk ---- fair
Mule deer fair good
White-tailed deer ---- good
Small mammals good good
Small nongame birds good good
Upland game birds good good
Waterfowl poor poor
VALUE FOR REHABILITATION OF DISTURBED SITES:
Black hawthorn is an excellent soil and streambank stabilizer.
Successful seedling establishment, however, is difficult, and growth
rates are slow. The use of transplanted nursery stock is recommended
[17]. In north-central Washington, over 6,700 black hawthorn saplings
were planted across 93 acres (37.5 ha) to provide forage and cover for
wildlife adjacent to an altered reservoir site [9]. In Utah, the
erosion control potential of black hawthorn is considered medium,
short-term revegetation potential is low, and long-term revegetation
potential is medium [12].
OTHER USES AND VALUES:
Black hawthorn's brushy growth form makes it a desirable species for
biological barriers between recreational areas and physical structures
[17].
Native people of the Nuxalk Nation, Bella Coola, British Columbia,
utilize black hawthorn fruits in the summer as food. It has been
estimated that one person can harvest 250 ml of fruits in approximately
1.5 minutes. One black hawthorn tree averages 550 fruits [23].
OTHER MANAGEMENT CONSIDERATIONS:
Little is known about cultivating this genus. Most hawthorns develop a
long taproot and should not be kept in seedbeds more than 1 year [4].
Limited agriculture/livestock development will help maintain black
hawthorn thickets, thus protecting an important food and cover species
for wildlife [27].
BOTANICAL AND ECOLOGICAL CHARACTERISTICS
SPECIES: Crataegus douglasii
GENERAL BOTANICAL CHARACTERISTICS:
Black hawthorn is a large shrub or small tree ranging from 3.5 to 13.0
feet (1-4 m) tall and possessing straight, strong thorns 0.5 to 1.0 inch
(1.00-2.50 cm) long. Leaves are generally 1.5 to 2.5 inches (3-6 cm)
long, broad, and serrated at the tip. Blackish, smooth fruits are about
0.5 inch (1 cm) long. Numerous mosses and lichens are present upon the
entire bark system [4,19]
Black hawthorn stems are usually clustered from the base or from a
point just above the soil surface. Shade-killed lower limbs persist on
the stem, creating large, dense thickets [11]. Stems are very flexible
and have been shown to withstand avalanche impact pressures of up to 10
tons per square meter [8].
RAUNKIAER LIFE FORM:
Phanerophyte
Cryptophyte
REGENERATION PROCESSES:
Black hawthorn produces many fertile seeds. Following the removal of
aboveground stems, black hawthorn will sprout and sucker from the
root system [17].
Seeds: The average amount of cleaned black hawthorn seeds collected
from Washington, Idaho, and Oregon was 22,600 per pound (10,170/kg).
Cultivation of black hawthorn seed requires pregermination treatments
to break embryo dormancy. Scarification in acid for 0.5 to 3.0 hours,
followed by 84 to 112 days of cold treatment at 41 degrees Fahrenheit (5
deg C) will generally yield 50 to 80 percent germination [4].
Morphological characteristics of black hawthorn fruit from Rainbow
Creek Research Natural Area, southeastern Washington, are presented
below [29]:
Mean Standard Error
------ ----------------
Fruit Diameter (mm) 11.11 0.08
Fruit Mass (mg) 634.38 12.72
Pulp Dry Mass (mg) 109.43 NA
Number of seeds per Fruit 4.78 NA
Fresh Seed Mass per Fruit (mg) 83.74 NA
Fresh Pulp Mass (mg) 6.58 NA
(n=100)
SITE CHARACTERISTICS:
Black hawthorn can be found at lower elevations from 2,200 to 5,400
feet (670-1,645 m). It typically forms small, dense, impenetrable
thickets in irregular patterns across open areas or along moist riparian
sites [3,17]. Black hawthorn is also found on steep, uncultivated
slopes [11]. In west-central Montana, it is common on mesic valley and
montane sites [22]. It can be found on all exposures, including dry
southern exposures, where moisture levels are sufficient [11].
Soils: Black hawthorn generally occurs on deep, moist, fine-textured
soils. Soils under black hawthorn stands were found to be cooler and
wetter than adjacent steppe communities in eastern Washington [11].
These stands typically provide 100 percent soil cover, thus increasing
soil moisture by decreasing surface soil temperatures [10]. Kauffman
and others [20] found soils beneath black hawthorn in northeastern
Oregon to have a thick A-horizon, 13 to 17 inches (33-43 cm), with
evidence of mottling. Depth to the parent material varied from 27 to 40
inches (69-100 cm), but was usually less than 30 inches (75 cm).
SUCCESSIONAL STATUS:
Black hawthorn predominantly occurs as an understory species (see
Habitat Types); however, it can be found in pure stands. Typically,
black hawthorn does not occupy disturbed sites [17]. Disturbance from
fire, agricultural cropping, or flooding seems to inhibit proliferous
growth [11]. Butler [7], however, found black hawthorn present on
frequently disturbed areas such as avalanche shoots in Glacier National
Park, Montana.
SEASONAL DEVELOPMENT:
Specific information concerning the seasonal development of black
hawthorn is not available. Black hawthorn fruits are considered ripe
when they are black and lustrous. In Oregon fruit was dispersed from
August 16 to 31, and in Washington from July 15 to 30 [35].
FIRE ECOLOGY
SPECIES: Crataegus douglasii
FIRE ECOLOGY OR ADAPTATIONS:
Black hawthorn is fire tolerant [11]. This tree has a shallow and
diffuse root structure that allows for sprouting and sucker-rooting
following the destruction of aboveground parts [17].
FIRE REGIMES:
Find fire regime information for the plant communities in which this
species may occur by entering the species name in the FEIS home page under
"Find Fire Regimes".
POSTFIRE REGENERATION STRATEGY:
survivor species; on-site surviving root crown or caudex
survivor species; on-site surviving deep underground stems
off-site colonizer; seed carried by animals or water; postfire yr 1&2
FIRE EFFECTS
SPECIES: Crataegus douglasii
IMMEDIATE FIRE EFFECT ON PLANT:
Both high- and low-severity fires will consume the aboveground parts of
black hawthorn.
DISCUSSION AND QUALIFICATION OF FIRE EFFECT:
The structural configuration of black hawthorn limbs makes it highly
flammable due to the sheltering of dry grasses and twigs. These fuels
may create a "ladder" for fire to be carried up to the crown, destroying
the entire thicket.
PLANT RESPONSE TO FIRE:
The range of black hawthorn is limited by fire. Removal of the plant
may require years of growth for full reestablishment. Frequent fires
may confine black hawthorn plants to dense thickets [11].
DISCUSSION AND QUALIFICATION OF PLANT RESPONSE:
Daubenmire [11] hypothesized that the expanded range of black hawthorn
stands in eastern Washington was the result of improved agricultural
cropping practices which exclude stubble burning. Black hawthorn
thickets have redeveloped from stump sprouts as the number and size of
fires have decreased [11,26].
The following Research Project Summaries provide information on prescribed
fire use and postfire response of plant community species black hawthorn:
FIRE MANAGEMENT CONSIDERATIONS:
NO-ENTRY
REFERENCES
SPECIES: Crataegus douglasii
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