Scientific name: Crataegus crus-galli
Common name: Cockspur Hawthorn
Native: Yes
Native range: Native to the eastern and south-central United States, as well as eastern Canada [1,2,4].
Distribution in North America: Click to view the USDA Plants Database page for C. crus-galli.
Maximum age: Unclear, but is described as being "long-lived" [3].
Ecology: A variety of birds use the tree for cover and forage its fruit. Deer browse the leaves and new growth [1]. It also hosts the largest North American moth - the cecropia moth, Hyalophora cecropia - as well as the smaller Polyphemous moth, Antheraea polyphemus [6].
Ethnobotany: The trees are valued as an ornamental and are used as an accent in many plantings [1]. Indigenous American groups use its fruit for food and its foliage and branches for medical remedies [5].