Black Hawthorn vs Black Crowberry - TreeTime.ca

Black Hawthorn vs Black Crowberry

Crataegus douglasii

Empetrum nigrum

NOT AVAILABLE THIS SEASON - MIGHT RETURN

CUSTOM GROW

Black Hawthorn
Black Crowberry

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.

Black Crowberry is a native evergreen shrub that forms low, spreading mats. It has unique foliage that spiral around the stem, and small dark berries, giving it visual appeal. The berries are edible, but can be acidic, so are not generally eaten fresh. In colder climates they have a sweet, tart taste, and are dried, used in deserts, or for making jams or jellies.
It provides food for birds and mammals, while its flowers attract pollinators such as bees. Its ability to grow in harsh climates makes it an important species for ecological balance.
Black Crowberry has historical significance as it provided a vital food source for the indigenous cultures of the arctic regions. It is abundant in Scandinavia and is used to make liqueurs, wines, and juices. In Newfoundland and Labrador the berries are known locally as ‘blackberries’ and are used in jams, jellies and baked goods like buns and puddings.

Black Hawthorn Quick Facts

Black Crowberry Quick Facts

Zone: 3a
Zone: 3a
Height: 8 m (25 ft)
Height: 0.2 m (0.5 ft)
Spread: 5 m (15 ft)
Spread: 0.4 m (1.3 ft)
Light: partial shade, full sun
Light: partial shade, full sun
Moisture: any
Moisture: any
Growth rate: medium
Growth rate: slow
Life span: medium
Life span: medium
Growth form: low growing, matt-forming
Spreading: rhizomes - medium, seeds - low
Suckering: medium


Foliage: contains thorns
Foliage: evergreen needle-like leaves
Fall colour: yellow to red
Bark: brown to gray
Flowers: white
Flowers: pink-red, very small
Bloom time: late spring to early summer
Berries: purplish-black pomes
Berries: purplish-black, edible
Flavor: bland, slightly bitter
Harvest: late summer to fall
Hybrid: no
Hybrid: no
Catkins: no
Catkins: no


Native to: AB, BC, SK, ON
Native to: AB, BC, SK, MB, ON, QC, NS, NB, NL, YT, NT, NU
Other Names: crataegus columbiana, douglas hawthorn, douglas' thornapple
Other Names: crakeberry, curlewberry, heathberry, northern crowberry