Round Leaf Hawthorn vs Bristly Black Currant - TreeTime.ca

Round Leaf Hawthorn vs Bristly Black Currant

Crataegus rotundifolia (Crataegus cyclophylla)

Ribes lacustre

COMING SOON

(new stock expected: fall of 2025)

CUSTOM GROW

Round Leaf Hawthorn
Bristly Black Currant

Getting its name from rounded, toothed leaves, the Round Leaf Hawthorn is a winter hardy shrub that grows small, red, berry-like fruits.

Commonly used for landscaping, this shrub can also be found along stream banks and in wooded areas. Caution is advised when handling the Round Leaf Hawthorn, as it can have sharp thorns approximately 1" long.

Bristly Black Currant is a native deciduous shrub that grows in moist forests, swamps, and riparian areas. In summer, it produces clusters of dark purple to black berries that provide food for wildlife, while its reddish-purple flowers attract pollinators. The berries are technically edible and enjoyed by some, but many find them unpleasant and bitter.

Thriving in moist soils and shaded locations, Bristly Black Currant helps stabilize soil and supports diverse habitats. It is valuable for conservation plantings, wetland restoration, riparian buffers, and naturalization projects.

Note: When crushed, the berries are known to release an offensive odour.

Round Leaf Hawthorn Quick Facts

Bristly Black Currant Quick Facts

Zone: 2a
Zone: 3a
Height: 3 m (10 ft)
Height: 0.9 m (3 ft)
Spread: 3 m (10 ft)
Spread: 1.2 m (4 ft)
Light: partial shade, full sun
Light: partial shade, full sun
Moisture: normal, wet
Moisture: normal, wet
Growth rate: slow
Growth rate: medium
Life span: long
Life span: medium
Growth form: upright to spreading, thicket-forming
Spreading: seeds - medium, layering - low
Suckering: none
Maintenance: medium


Toxicity: prickles may cause an allergic reaction
Foliage: round, serrated
Bark: reddish brown with prickles
Flowers: showy white
Flowers: small maroon-green clusters
Bloom time: spring to early summer
Fruit: small red berries
Berries: dark purple with hairs, edible
Flavor: tart, unpleasant
Harvest: mid to late summer
Hybrid: no
Hybrid: no
Catkins: no
Catkins: no


Native to: ON
Native to: AB, BC, SK, MB, ON, QC, NS, NB, NL, YT, NT, PE
Other Names: black gooseberry, black swamp gooseberry, bristly black gooseberry, bristly currant, bristly swamp currant, prickly currant