Black Hawthorn vs Thimbleberry - TreeTime.ca

Black Hawthorn vs Thimbleberry

Crataegus douglasii

Rubus parviflorus

NOT AVAILABLE THIS SEASON - MIGHT RETURN

NOT AVAILABLE THIS SEASON - MIGHT RETURN

Black Hawthorn
Thimbleberry

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.

Thimbleberry is an ornamental shrub with large, green maple-like-leaves. Flowers are attractive, fragrant, and turn into red-raspberry-like berries. The berries are good for jams, cakes, breads, muffins etc. If you remove the berry, the core resembles a thimble, giving this shrub its namesake.

Black Hawthorn Quick Facts

Thimbleberry Quick Facts

Zone: 3a
Zone: 4a
Height: 8 m (25 ft)
Height: 1.5 m (5 ft)
Spread: 5 m (15 ft)
Spread: 1.5 m (5 ft)
Light: partial shade, full sun
Light: partial shade, full sun
Moisture: any
Moisture: any
Growth rate: medium
Growth rate: fast
Life span: medium
Life span: medium
Suckering: medium
Suckering: none


Foliage: contains thorns
Foliage: Soft leaves up to 8 inches across
Fall colour: yellow to red
Fall colour: gold
Bark: brown to gray
Flowers: white
Flowers: white, showy
Berries: purplish-black pomes
Berries: edible, red, similar to raspberries
Hybrid: no
Hybrid: no
Catkins: no
Catkins: no


Native to: AB, BC, SK, ON
Native to: AB, BC, ON
Other Names: crataegus columbiana, douglas hawthorn, douglas' thornapple
Other Names: thimbleberry, western thimbleberry