Ruggedly handsome and tough as a Siberian lumberjack, Russian Hawthorn ranks among the hardiest trees appropriate for our region. In fact, in my career spanning over 25 years, I cannot recall ever having to warranty a Hawthorn tree. The abundant white flowers appear after the leaves and cover the branches in a downy blanket. Glossy green leaves turn remarkable blends of orange-yellow-red in the fall. Russian Hawthorn have the brightest and showiest berries in the Hawthorn family, and they will ornament the tree and feed wildlife through the winter months. They will drop, however, so plant in garden beds or prairie areas where the fruit won't be a nuissance. The branches and trunks become knarled and twisted through the ages, and the bark exfoliates giving the tree a mottled appearance. Looks like something out of a Tolkien novel! The tree does sport thorns, however not as wicked as some other Hawthorn varieties. Birds love to nest in Hawthorn trees, I suspect because the thorns deter cats and other predators. Consider the multi-stemed option if available, they make wonderful shrub-formed trees.