May Hawthorn
Crataegus aestivalis
Found in swamps. Weakley, Flora of the Southeastern United States (2025), South Central edition What its natural habitat tells you
83
Keystone
Native to Alabama. How scores work Is it native here?
Profile 100%
- Height
- 10–40 feet
- Spread
- 35–40 feet
- Light
- Full sun, Partial shade
- Soil moisture
- Moist to standing water
Space about 30 ft apart from its recorded spread. Enter your bed size for a count
Will it fit your yard?
At a glance
- Life cycle
- Woody perennial
- Leaves
- Deciduous
- Bloom
- March to April
- Fruiting season
- June to July
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Recorded in 10 Alabama counties.
Natural habitats
Places it grows wild. Not a planting requirement. Each habitat page lists the plants and wildlife also found there.
Also found with this plant
Wildlife whose habitat models include habitats this plant grows in, in Alabama. Shared habitat, not food. 113 animals.
- Orchard OrioleIcterus spurius
- OspreyPandion haliaetus
- Pileated WoodpeckerDryocopus pileatus
- Prothonotary WarblerProtonotaria citrea
- Purple FinchCarpodacus purpureus
- Purple GallinulePorphyrio martinica
- Red-bellied WoodpeckerMelanerpes carolinus
- Red-shouldered HawkButeo lineatus
- Red-tailed HawkButeo jamaicensis
- Red-winged BlackbirdAgelaius phoeniceus
- Ring-necked DuckAythya collaris
- Ruby-crowned KingletRegulus calendula
- Ruby-throated HummingbirdArchilochus colubris
- Sharp-shinned HawkAccipiter striatus
- Snowy EgretEgretta thula
- Song SparrowMelospiza melodia
- Spotted SandpiperActitis macularius
- Swallow-tailed KiteElanoides forficatus
- Tufted TitmouseBaeolophus bicolor
- Turkey VultureCathartes aura
- White-breasted NuthatchSitta carolinensis
- White-winged DoveZenaida asiatica
- Wild TurkeyMeleagris gallopavo
- Wood DuckAix sponsa
Ecological relationships
Who uses this plant?
114CaterpillarsGenus host records with ranges including AL
Genus host records with ranges including AL · Crataegus
- Hemaris thysbeHummingbird Clearwing
- Limenitis arthemisRed-spotted Purple
- Acrobasis indigenellaLeaf Crumpler
- Acronicta americanaAmerican Dagger
- Acronicta clarescensClear Dagger
- Acronicta funeralisFunerary Dagger, Paddle Caterpillar
- Acronicta impletaYellow-Haired Dagger
- Acronicta interruptaInterrupted Dagger
- Acronicta radcliffeiRadcliffe's Dagger
- Alsophila pometariaFall Cankerworm Moth
Show all 114
- Amorbia humerosanaWhite-Lined Leafroller Moth
- Amphipyra pyramidoidesMiranda Underwing, Copper Underwing, Copper Amphipyra
- Anavitrinella pampinariaCommon Gray, Cranberry Spanworm
- Antheraea polyphemusPolyphemus Moth
- Archips argyrospilaFruit-Tree Leafroller Moth
- Archips griseaGray Archips
- Argyresthia oreasellaCherry Shoot Borer
- Argyrostrotis anilisShort-Lined Chocolate
- Argyrotaenia ivanaIvana Leafroller Moth
- Automeris ioIo Moth
- Balsa labeculaWhite-Blotched Balsa
- Balsa tristrigellaThree-Lined Balsa
- Biston betulariaSalt-and-Pepper Geometer, Cleft-Headed Looper
- Carposina fernaldanaCurrant Fruitworm Moth
- Catocala alabamaeAlabama Underwing, [Titan Underwing]
- Catocala blandulaCharming Underwing
- Catocala clintoniiClinton's Underwing
- Catocala crataegiHawthorne Underwing, Thorn Underwing
- Catocala gryneaWoody Underwing
- Catocala lincolnanaLincoln Underwing
- Catocala miraWonderful Underwing
- Catocala mirandaMiranda Underwing
- Catocala orbaOrba Underwing
- Catocala praeclaraPraeclara Underwing, Chokeberry Underwing, Charlotte's Underwing
- Catocala pretiosaPrecious Underwing, Texarkana Underwing
- Catocala ultroniaUltronia Underwing
- Cecrita guttivittaMaple Prominent, Saddled Prominent
- Cenopis diluticostanaSpring Dead-Leaf Roller Moth, Oak Cenopis
- Ceratomia undulosaWaved Sphinx
- Cerma cerinthaTufted Bird-Dropping Moth, Cherry Agate
- Cerma coraThe Agate
- Choristoneura rosaceanaOblique-Banded Leafroller Moth, Rosaceous Leaf Roller
- Coelodasys unicornisUnicorn Caterpillar Moth
- Cryptothelea gloveriiOrange Bagworm
- Datana ministraYellow-Necked Caterpillar Moth
- Eacles imperialisImperial Moth, Imperial Spiny Caterpillar
- Ennomos magnariaMaple Spanworm Moth, Notchwing Geometer
- Ennomos subsignariaElm Spanworm Moth
- Episimus argutanaSumac Leaftier
- Erannis tiliariaLinden Looper Moth, Western Winter Moth, Lime Looper
- Euchlaena johnsonariaJohnson's Euchlaena
- Euclea delphiniiSpiny Oak-Slug Moth
- Eulithis gracilineataGreater Grapevine Looper
- Eumacaria madopataBrown-Bordered Geometer
- Euphyia intermediataSharp-Angled Carpet Moth, The Intermediate
- Eupsilia vinulentaStraight-Toothed Sallow
- Glenoides texanariaTexas Gray
- Grapholita packardiCherry Fruit Worm
- Halysidota tessellarisBanded Tussock Moth, Pale Tiger Moth
- Hedya chionosemaTwin-Spotted Budworm, White-Spotted Hedya
- Hedya separatanaPink-Washed Leafroller Moth
- Hyalophora cecropiaCecropia Silkmoth, Cecropia Moth
- Hypagyrtis unipunctataOne-Spotted Variant
- Hyphantria cuneaFall Webworm
- Iridopsis larvariaBent-Line Gray
- Kocakina fidelisIntractable Quaker, Green Fruitworm, Fourlined Green Fruitworm
- Lambdina fiscellariaHemlock Looper, Western Oak Looper
- Limenitis archippusViceroy
- Lithophane antennataAshen Pinion
- Lithophane bethuneiBethune's Pinion
- Lochmaeus manteoVariable Oakleaf Caterpillar Moth
- Lomographa glomerariaGray Spring Moth
- Lomographa semiclarataBluish Spring Moth, Wildcherry Looper
- Lomographa vestaliataWhite Spring Moth
- Lytrosis unitariaCommon Lytrosis
- Macaria coortariaFour-Spotted Angle, Four-Spotted Granite
- Machimia tentoriferellaGold-Striped Leaftier Moth
- Malacosoma americanaEastern Tent Caterpillar
- Malacosoma disstriaForest Tent Caterpillar
- Metarranthis duariaRuddy Metarranthis
- Morrisonia mucensGray Woodgrain
- Nematocampa resistariaFilament Bearer, Horned Spanworm Moth
- Nemoria mimosariaWhite-Fringed Emerald
- Oedemasia concinnaRed-Humped Caterpillar, Red-Humped Appleworm
- Oedemasia semirufescensRed-Washed Prominent
- Orgyia leucostigmaWhite-Marked Tussock Moth
- Orthosia garmaniGarman's Quaker
- Orthosia hibisciSpeckled Green Fruitworm Moth, Speckled Green Quaker
- Paleacrita vernataSpring Cankerworm Moth
- Paonias excaecataBlinded Sphinx, Blind Eyed Sphinx
- Paonias myopsSmall-Eyed Sphinx
- Papaipema nebrisStalk Borer
- Papilio glaucusEastern Tiger Swallowtail
- Phaecasiophora niveiguttanaLabyrinth Moth
- Phaeoura quernariaOak Beauty Moth
- Phigalia strigatariaSmall Phigalia, Small Oak Looper
- Phigalia titeaThe Half-Wing Geometer, Spiney Looper, Eastern Oak Looper
- Phyllodesma americanaLappet Moth, American Lappet Moth, Southern Lappet Moth
- Probole alienariaDogwood Probole, Alien Probole
- Prolimacodes badiaSkiff Moth, Skiff Caterpillar
- Pseudothyatira cymatophoroidesTufted Thyatirid
- Rhopobota dietzianaWinterberry Moth
- Satyrium liparopsStriped Hairstreak
- Schizura ipomaeaeMorning-Glory Prominent, Checkered-Fringe Prominent
- Sparganothis sulfureanaSparganothis Fruitworm Moth, Sulfur Leafroller, False Yellow-Head
- Sphecodina abbottiiAbbott's Sphinx
- Strymon melinusGray Hairstreak
- Synanthedon pictipesLesser Peachtree Borer Moth
- Synanthedon scitulaDogwood Borer, Pecan Borer
- Syndemis afflictanaFall Dead-Leaf Roller, Gray Leafroller, Black-and-Grey Banded Leafroller
- Thyridopteryx ephemeraeformisEvergreen Bagworm Moth
- Xanthorhoe lacustrataToothed Brown Carpet
- Zale lunataLunate Zale
- Zale minereaColorful Zale
11BeesSoutheastern regional records
Southeastern regional records · Crataegus
Individual names are not available yet.
Noori, Seltmann & Orr 2026, A curated and integrated dataset for exploring global bee-plant interactions (GloBI), Zenodo, CC BY 4.0
0Specialist beesPollen specialists
14BirdsRecorded genus food-resource interactions; not a state feeding claim
Recorded genus food-resource interactions; not a state feeding claim · Crataegus
- Bonasa umbellusRuffed Grouse
- Callipepla californicaCalifornia Quail
- Catharus guttatusHermit Thrush
- Dendragapus obscurusDusky Grouse
- Melanerpes carolinusRed-bellied Woodpecker
- Meleagris gallopavoWild Turkey
- Oreortyx pictusMountain Quail
- Patagioenas fasciataBand-tailed Pigeon
- Pinicola enucleatorPine Grosbeak
- Sialia sialisEastern Bluebird
Show all 14
- Sitta carolinensisWhite-breasted Nuthatch
- Turdus migratoriusAmerican Robin
- Tympanuchus phasianellusSharp-tailed Grouse
- Tyrannus verticalisWestern Kingbird
Direct food only: birds recorded eating this genus across North America. Caterpillars on host plants also feed nesting birds. NC Native Plant Society: butterfly gardening
No records yet · Ants · Beetles · Flies · Adult butterflies / moths · Other wasps · Other insects
Growing and identification
Plant details
- Family
- Rosaceae
- Hardiness
- Zones 6a–11b
- Soil pH
- Acidic to alkaline
- Flower color
- White
- Growth rate
- Slow
- Growth habit
- Several stems
- Foliage color
- Dark green
- Fruit begins
- June
- Fruit ends
- July
Safety has not been reviewed for this plant; check toxicity and thorns before planting.
Growing sources and scope
- Bloom · “March to April” · Weakley, Flora of the Southeastern United States (2025), Carolinas & Georgia edition (ranked first; USDA PLANTS differs) · Carolinas and Georgia
- Flower color · “White” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox
- Foliage color · “Dark green” · USDA PLANTS · Nationwide species characteristics; local growing conditions may vary
- Fruit begins · “June” · Weakley, Flora of the Southeastern United States (2025), Carolinas & Georgia edition (ranked first; USDA PLANTS differs) · Carolinas and Georgia
- Fruit ends · “July” · Weakley, Flora of the Southeastern United States (2025), Carolinas & Georgia edition (ranked first; USDA PLANTS differs) · Carolinas and Georgia
- Growth habit · “Several stems” · USDA PLANTS · Nationwide species characteristics; local growing conditions may vary
- Growth rate · “Slow” · USDA PLANTS · Nationwide species characteristics; local growing conditions may vary
- Hardiness · “Zones 6a–11b” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox
- Height · “10–40 feet” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox (ranked first; USDA PLANTS, Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center differ)
- Leaves · “Deciduous” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox
- Life cycle · “Woody perennial” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox (ranked first; Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center differs)
- Light · “Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day); Partial shade (direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox (ranked first; Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center differs)
- primary_flower_color · “white” · USDA PLANTS
- Soil · “Frequent standing water; Moist; Occasionally wet” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox (ranked first; Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center differs)
- Soil pH · “Acidic to alkaline” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox
- Spread · “35–40 feet” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox
Conservation status
| Alabama rank | SNR |
|---|---|
| Global rank | G5 |
| AL status | Not verified |
| Federal status | Not verified |
In your garden
Will it fit your yard?
Check this plant against your county, sun and soil moisture. Conditions are checked in your browser.
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Sources
- Alabama Plant Atlas
- USDA PLANTS
- Vascular Plants of North Carolina (NC Natural Heritage Program)
- Weakley, Flora of the Southeastern United States (2025)
- Shropshire & Tallamy 2025, Lepidoptera of North America north of Mexico, ZooKeys 1261 (ODbL)
- Noori, Seltmann & Orr 2026, A curated and integrated dataset for exploring global bee-plant interactions (GloBI), Zenodo, CC BY 4.0
- Smith, Bachelder, Russell, Morales, Mosher & Seltmann 2024, Bee-Specialization-Modeling v0.6.1 (specialist host table compiled from J. Fowler's pollen specialist bee lists), Zenodo, CC BY 4.0
- Hurlbert, Olsen, Sawyer & Winner 2021, Avian Diet Database, Scientific Data 8: 260 (CC0)
- Narango, Tallamy & Shropshire 2020, Few keystone plant genera support the majority of Lepidoptera species, Nature Communications