There are several hundred species of haws growing in the United States. Five
are fairly common to Iowa: cockspur, hawthorn, pearhaw, punctate haw,
and red haw. It is extremely difficult to distinguishbetween the species.
Found generally throughout Iowa except in the northwest section, this short tree, with thin, erect branching and a narrow, open crown, prefers the banks of streams and open hillsides.
The small leaves are narrowed or tapered at the base. The tips are
round pointed and coarsely toothed, and the base is nearly smooth. The slender
twigs are at first 
orange-green and smooth, later becoming bright chestnut brown and shiny. The
older branches are ashy or reddish gray, with slightly curved spines of chestnut
brown color, 3/4 to 1-1/2 inches long.
The fruit occurs in few-fruited, small drooping clusters. It is
darkred or rusty orange in color with occasional dark dots and two or three
seeds. On the trunk the bark is gray to dark gray-brown and breaks
into narrow, flatridges.
[Tree Identification Homepage] - [ISUForestry Extension] - [ISU Extension]