Discovering Crataegus ×brevipes: A Rare Native Hawthorn Worth Knowing
If you’re a native plant enthusiast always on the hunt for something a little different, you might want to take note of Crataegus ×brevipes, a native hawthorn that’s flying somewhat under the radar in gardening circles. While this particular species doesn’t get much press compared to its more famous hawthorn cousins, it represents an interesting piece of our native flora puzzle.
What Makes This Hawthorn Special?
Crataegus ×brevipes is a native tree species that calls the lower 48 states home, though it appears to have a particularly strong presence in New York. The × in its name is your clue that this is a hybrid – nature’s own cross between two different hawthorn species. As a perennial woody plant, it follows the classic tree playbook with a single trunk and the potential to reach heights greater than 13-16 feet under the right conditions.
Like other trees in challenging environments, this hawthorn can sometimes develop a more modest, multi-stemmed growth habit when conditions call for it. It’s nature’s way of adapting to whatever curveball the environment throws its way.
Where You’ll Find It Growing Wild
This particular hawthorn has been documented growing in New York, though given the limited research on this specific hybrid, it may well have a broader native range that simply hasn’t been fully catalogued yet. That’s one of the fascinating things about native plants – there are still discoveries to be made!
The Reality Check: Limited Information Available
Here’s where I need to be completely honest with you – Crataegus ×brevipes appears to be one of those native plants that hasn’t received much scientific attention or horticultural development. While we know it’s a legitimate native species, detailed information about its specific growing requirements, wildlife benefits, and landscape applications is surprisingly scarce.
This doesn’t mean it’s not worth considering, but it does mean you’d be something of a pioneer if you choose to seek it out for your garden.
What We Can Reasonably Expect
Based on what we know about hawthorns in general, this species likely shares some family traits:
- Attractive spring flowers that benefit pollinators
- Potential for small fruits that wildlife may enjoy
- Deciduous foliage that changes with the seasons
- Generally hardy and adaptable once established
Should You Plant It?
If you’re drawn to rare native plants and don’t mind being an experimental gardener, Crataegus ×brevipes could be an intriguing addition to your landscape. However, the lack of readily available information means you’d need to be prepared for some trial and error.
For most gardeners looking for reliable native hawthorns with well-documented benefits and growing requirements, you might want to consider better-studied species like Crataegus mexicana (Mexican Hawthorn) or other regional native hawthorns that have more established track records in cultivation.
The Bottom Line
Crataegus ×brevipes represents one of those interesting gaps in our horticultural knowledge – a legitimate native plant that deserves more attention and study. If you’re the type of gardener who loves being on the cutting edge of native plant cultivation, this could be your chance to contribute to our understanding of an underappreciated native species.
Just remember to source any plants responsibly from reputable native plant nurseries, and consider it an adventure in native gardening rather than a sure bet. Sometimes the most rewarding plants are the ones that make us work a little harder to understand them!
