Alternate name: Parsley Hawthorn

Family: Rosaceae, Rose view all from this family

Description Small tree with wide-spreading, slender branches and broad, irregular, open crown of parseylike foliage; or often, a low much-branched shrub.
Height: 20' (6 m).
Diameter: 4" (10 cm).
Leaves: 3/4-2" (2-5 cm) long, 3/4-1 1/2" (2-4 cm) wide. Broadly ovate; deeply divided nearly to midvein into 5-7 narrow short-pointed saw-toothed lobes; veins running to notches as well as to points of lobes; hairless or nearly so; very long slender leafstalks. Shiny green above, paler beneath.
Bark: gray; thin, smooth, peeling off in patches and mottled with brown.
Twigs: light brown; hairy when young; with straight spines.
Flowers: 5/8" (15 mm) wide; with 5 white petals, about 10 red stamens, and 1-3 styles; 3-12 flowers clustered on long slender hairy stalks; in spring.
Fruit: 3/8" (10 mm) long, and half as wide; oblong, bright red; thin juicy pulp; 1-3 (usually 2) nutlets; maturing in autumn, persisting until winter.

Habitat Moist valley soils.

Range SE. Virginia south to central Florida, west to E. Texas, and north to SE. Missouri; to 600' (183 m).

Discussion One of the easiest hawthorns to recognize, with its small, divided leaves and small, oblong fruit. The Latin species name honors Humphry Marshall (1722-1801), U.S. botanist.