Thorns or spines are short and stout. The tree is not as heavily armed as most hawthorns. Young foliage is villous above and along veins beneath. Leaf margins are irregularly toothed. Leaves on vigorous shoots are slightly lobed above the middle and dull green in color.
Twigs are grayish in color.
Flowers are white and borne in May or early June, after the foliage is expanded. Stamens are often pink. Fruit is deep yellow to dull red and conspicuously dotted. The fleshy fruit is somewhat edible, but drops soon after ripening in October. The fruit falls early enough to attract bees and yellow jackets in large numbers.