Crataegus mollis, commonly known as Downy Hawthorn or Red Hawthorn, is a native deciduous tree of eastern North America valued for its ornamental white flowers, edible red fruits, and wildlife habitat. Seeds exhibit complex dormancy requiring both warm and cold stratification periods. Germination can be slow and erratic, often taking 18 months or longer even after proper pretreatment.
Before sowing
Remove pulp from fruit and allow seeds to dry for 3 days before stratification treatment
Sowing
What to expect
Tips
Warm stratify at 18-22°C for 60-120 days, then cold stratify at 2-4°C for 120-135 days. Seeds that don't germinate after first stratification cycle should be put through another warm-cold period. Sow at 1cm depth, keep substrate moist but not waterlogged, and maintain darkness during stratification. Temperature fluctuations and natural winter storage in a cold location improve results. Seeds may germinate over multiple years (up to 5 years post-sowing). Fresh fruit processing (pulp removal and drying) before stratification improves success rates.
Sources: Sheffield's Seed Company, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers National Wetland Plant List, ResearchGate (Morgenson 2000), Plants for a Future, Native Plant Society resources
