The heartwood is light, reddish-brown and the sapwood paler. Animals eat the fallen, softened fruits. Many bird species use the trees as nesting sites, cattle eagerly browse the foliage and mice store and eat the seeds. Although some trees bear sweet, juicy fruit, the taste and texture can vary. The fruits make tasty preserves.
Downy hawthorns are an interesting, attractive addition to the Iowa landscape.
Although the flowers are showy, the fruits are not long-lasting and many other hawthorn species and cultivars have superior qualities for horticultural use.