The Cherokee had several uses for the Parsley Leaf Hawthorn and the other native Hawthorns (Crataegus, spp.).   A bark tea was used for good circulation and as a relaxant.  Cherokee ball Players would bathe their bodies with bark tea to ward off the defenses of the opposing ball players.

This Hawthorn is very ornamental with the most interesting foliage of all the Hawthorns.  The common name describes the parsley like leaf that is ruffled and deeply dissected.

It has pleasant white flowers in the spring and bright red berries in the fall.   This is another wonderful native tree that is beneficial to pollinators and wildlife.

It can reach 20 to 30 feet in height and likes moist soils.   It is considered slow-growing small tree that can easily be used in an urban area.    The Parsley Leaf Hawthorn that we have planted at the Cherokee Garden in Cobb County is planted in dapple shade and only grows two to three inches a year.     It was one of the first small three that we rescued for the Cherokee Garden.