Missouri State Flower
Hawthorn (common name) Crataegus (scientific name) Overview There are many varieties of hawthorn in the Northern Hemisphere. The bushes or trees, related to both roses and apples, grow in North America, Europe, and Asia. Of the 100 or so kinds of hawthorn that grow in Missouri, no particular type was specified when the blossom became a state emblem in 1923. The tree’s blossoms are generally white or very pale pink, featuring five small round petals around a cluster of yellow stamens growing in clusters of 5 to 25 at the ends of branches. Blooming in May or very early June, they may or may not be fragrant. Small flies pollinate the bisexual flowers, which give way to little bright red fruits similar to tiny crab apples, called haws, each with one seed inside. These haws usually become ripe before frost and are a source of fall and winter food for birds such as the robin and purple finch, small animals including opossums and squirrels, and even deer.  The trees can start producing haws five to 20 years after they’re planted, depending on the variety. Young trees normally have smooth, gray bark, though as the trees mature the trunks become darker and scaly. Branches have long, slightly curved thorns that protect the tree from large animals. This very feature makes it attractive to many birds, which use hawthorn trees to create protected nesting sites. The trees are quite adaptable, and can grow almost anywhere there is space for them, though they prefer a sunny location. Close-up STATUS Official PHYSICAL DETAILS Duration: Perennial Plant: Small, shrubby tree Mature Height: 16–49 ft (5–15 m) tall Flowering: May through June Flowers: 1–1.5 in (2.5–3.8 cm), with five round petals, many stamens Flower Color: White to very light pink Leaves: .75–1.5 in (2–4 cm) long, teardrop-shaped with three deep lobes Fruit/Seed Color: Red haws, tan seeds HABITAT Location: Fields and woods Range: United States, most of Canada, Europe, parts of northern Asia TRIVIA Part of the law adopting the Hawthorn blossom as the Missouri state flower says that it was chosen to "encourage its cultivation on account of the beauty of its flower, fruit and foliage."  Though the hawthorn tree is both pretty and useful—hawthorn leaves used to be an addition to early spring salads and hawthorn jam is still an autumn treat—the trees spread rapidly and can take over farmland and open areas, so they’re not always welcome.
	Click to enlarge an image Hawthorn Hawthorn Shrub Hawthorn Showing Leaves and Berries Hawthorn Berries CLASSIFICATION Kingdom: Plantae Subkingdom: Tracheobionta Superdivision: Spermatophyta Division: Magnoliophyta Class: Magnoliopsida Subclass: Rosidae Order: Rosales Family: Rosaceae Genus: Crataegus
	Author: World Trade Press