Crataegus viridis

Scarlet fall foliage, with persistent and spectacular red fruit.

Habitat: Well-drained floodplain forests, alluvial swamps, stream banks and riverbanks, and alluvial clearings; occasionally in mesic upland habitats near streams. Common in the inner s. coastal Plain; infrequent in the c. coastal Plain and s. piedmont; rare in the mountains.

Wildlife Value: Birds are attracted to the fruit in the fall and find nesting shelter amid the thorny branches. Host to nectar-bees, nectar-butterflies, and mammals seeking the fruit. Larval host for several species of hairstreak.