One of the showiest ornamental trees for the winter garden is Winter King Hawthorn. The orange/red fruit which persist on the naked tree throughout the winter makes this a tree anyone would want in there garden. Unlike other hawthorns it has has very small thorns that are inconspicuous. Also unlike other hawthorns this plant is somewhat disease and pest free. This small to medium size tree will get to 20 to 30 feet in height and width. That makes this tree a good choice for small gardens, it is also a very good tree in urban areas were air pollution, poor drainage, compacted soils, and drought are common. The 2 inch clusters of white flowers that open in mid May, show up very nicely against the glossy green foliage. The outer bark of this hawthorn is beige-gray, which exfoliates to expose a warm cinnamon color under bark. The younger branches are a silver-gray color, bearing 1 inch thorns. The fall color although not its primary feature turners from green to a golden yellow, with hints of red and maroon. For winter interest, this is a plant that’s hard to beat.