Black Hawthorn vs Bunchberry - TreeTime.ca

Black Hawthorn vs Bunchberry

Crataegus douglasii

Cornus canadensis

NOT AVAILABLE THIS SEASON - MIGHT RETURN

NOT AVAILABLE THIS SEASON - MIGHT RETURN

Black Hawthorn
Bunchberry

Black Hawthorn is a versatile plant that is native to wetlands and other areas with moist soils, but can also tolerate dry soils. This plant can be grown as a short shrub, or a tree reaching 30 feet tall.

Black Hawthorn is valued for erosion control and attracting pollinators. It also makes an attractive flowering ornamental that can be planted as a specimen or pruned as a hedge. It is commonly used in shelterbelts.

The Bunchberry, or Quatre-Temps as it is commonly known in Quebec, is an excellent ornamental plant to have in your garden. With star-shaped white flowers in spring and clusters of bright red berries in the fall, this is one of the most refined and hardy groundcovers available. The foliage has ornamental value, with leaves going from a deep green in the spring and summer to a beautiful brick-red in the fall.

Bunchberry is a spreading evergreen perennial with a ground-hugging habit of growth. This plant is not well suited for urban areas close to streetsides, as it is quite intolerant to pollution. It is Canada’s national flower.

According to a poll done by the Master Gardeners of Ontario, it is one of the most recognizable Canadian flowers.

Its flowers grow with elastic petals and "fire" its pollen with the force of 2000-3000 times the force of gravity.

Black Hawthorn Quick Facts

Bunchberry Quick Facts

Zone: 3a
Zone: 1b
Height: 8 m (25 ft)
Height: 0.2 m (0.6 ft)
Spread: 5 m (15 ft)
Spread: 0.6 m (2.0 ft)
Light: partial shade, full sun
Light: any
Moisture: any
Moisture: normal, wet
Growth rate: medium
Growth rate: fast
Life span: medium
Life span: short
Suckering: medium
Suckering: medium


Foliage: contains thorns
Fall colour: yellow to red
Fall colour: brick red
Bark: brown to gray
Flowers: white
Flowers: white
Berries: purplish-black pomes
Berries: small, red
Flavor: sweet
Harvest: August/September
Hybrid: no
Hybrid: no
Catkins: no
Catkins: no


Other Names: crataegus columbiana, douglas hawthorn, douglas' thornapple