Williams’ Hawthorn: A Montana Mystery Worth Investigating
If you’ve stumbled across the name Williams’ hawthorn (Crataegus williamsii) in your native plant research, you’ve discovered one of the more enigmatic members of the hawthorn family. This perennial shrub represents the fascinating world of regional native plants that often fly under the radar of mainstream gardening.
What is Williams’ Hawthorn?
Williams’ hawthorn is a native shrub species found in the lower 48 states, specifically documented in Montana. Like other hawthorns, it’s a multi-stemmed woody plant that typically stays under 13-16 feet tall, making it a manageable size for most landscape applications. As a perennial, it will grace your garden year after year once established.
Where Does It Grow?
This particular hawthorn species has been documented growing in Montana, suggesting it’s adapted to the challenging growing conditions of the northern Rocky Mountain region. This limited geographic distribution makes it a true regional specialist.
The Challenge with Williams’ Hawthorn
Here’s where things get interesting (and a bit frustrating for eager gardeners): there’s remarkably little detailed information available about Crataegus williamsii specifically. This could mean several things:
- It’s an extremely rare species with very limited populations
- It’s a recently described or taxonomically complex species
- It may be a localized variant that needs further botanical study
Should You Try to Grow It?
The honest answer is: proceed with extreme caution. Without knowing its rarity status, specific growing requirements, or even reliable sources for obtaining this plant, it’s difficult to recommend actively seeking it out. If this species is indeed rare, we want to avoid putting additional pressure on wild populations.
Better Alternatives for Your Montana Garden
If you’re gardening in Montana and drawn to native hawthorns, consider these well-documented alternatives:
- Black hawthorn (Crataegus douglasii) – widely available and well-suited to western conditions
- River hawthorn (Crataegus rivularis) – another western native with known growing requirements
These species offer the classic hawthorn benefits of spring flowers, fall berries for wildlife, and thorny branches that provide excellent nesting sites for birds.
If You Think You’ve Found Williams’ Hawthorn
If you believe you’ve encountered this species in the wild, consider reaching out to local botanists, native plant societies, or university extension services. Your observation could contribute valuable information to our understanding of this mysterious hawthorn.
The Bigger Picture
Williams’ hawthorn reminds us that there’s still much to discover about our native flora. While we can’t provide a definitive growing guide for this particular species, it highlights the importance of supporting botanical research and conservation efforts that help us better understand and protect our regional plant treasures.
For now, if you’re passionate about growing native hawthorns, stick with the well-documented species while keeping an eye out for more information about this intriguing Montana native. Sometimes the most fascinating plants are the ones that keep their secrets just a little longer.
