My husband purchased the dregs from a nursery going out of business and some of the plants came without identifying tags. I haven't been able to identify this beautiful tree that bloomed here in Northern Alberta for most of June with the blossoms turning a deeper and deeper pink until the berries began forming this week. I've not been able to find anyone who recognizes it and have had no luck googling it.
Thank you for your suggestions. It certainly does look like a Hawthorn tree-- the leaf, blossoms, and shape. However, I didn't notice any thorns nor the distinctive bark that is often mentioned. I'm going to have to go out there and re-examine it.
Look up the one I suggested, photos and descriptions are online - the apparent lack of thorns is not a deal-breaker at all.
I checked and I see no thorns of any type and the bark is nothing special. However, given that the shape, blossoms, and leaves match, I think your identification is correct. In some articles, it suggests the fancy bark comes with age so maybe the thorns do, too. If the berries turn red for autumn, we'll know we have a hit! Attached are photos I took today of the bark and the berries. Thank you for your help. It was an interesting adventure and the distraction I needed to keep me from important matters like...vacuuming!
I didn't find any information about Toba being thornless. The Mill Creek Nursery site calls it spiny and says its "thorns can be quite sharp." Can you provide a link to more accurate information? http://search.millcreeknursery.ca/11050005/Plant/740/Toba_Hawthorn
They're probably talking about suckers, otherwise I have no explanation. Your tree is almost certainly a 'Toba', the only other like it is the related 'Snowbird'.
Had to look that one up - a hybrid between Crataegus laevigata and Crataegus succulenta. Interesting that it's a hybrid between a European hawthorn and a North American one. And that latter parent looks a very attractive species.
