Crataegus douglasii is a compact erect bushy shrub growing to 8–9 metres (26–30 feet) tall with a trunk of up to 10 centimetres (4 inches) thick.

[4] It is covered in fan-shaped green leaves about 2.5–5 cm (1–2 in) long[4] with teeth along the distal margin.

The thorny shrub is native to northern and western North America, where it grows in varied habitats from forest to scrubland.

Various birds, including quail, the Hungarian partridge, and ring-necked pheasant feed on the berries,[5][6] as do bears and other animals.

[7] The edible fruits[8] were a good food source for Native American peoples such as the Cheyenne and Nlaka'pamux.