hawthorn

hawthorn, (genus Crataegus), large genus of thorny shrubs or small trees in the rose family (Rosaceae), native to the north temperate zone. Many species are common to North America, and a number of cultivated varieties are grown as ornamentals for their attractive flowers and fruits. The hawthorn is also well suited to form hedges, and its combination of sturdy twigs, hard wood, and numerous thorns makes it a formidable barrier to cattle and wildlife.

Physical description

Hawthorns are decidious plants with simple leaves that are usually toothed or lobed. The white or pink flowers, usually in clusters, are followed by small applelike pomes that range from red to orange to blue or black. The fruits vary in flavour and texture but are edible and sometimes used in herbal medicine. Some species are characterized by horizontal branching, a growth habit considered to enhance their ornamental value. Species readily hybridize with each other, making their taxonomy somewhat contentious.

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Common species

Two species that make ideal hedges are the common hawthorn (Crataegus monogyna) and the smooth hawthorn, also known as whitethorn, (C. laevigata). The smooth hawthorn has given rise to several cultivated varieties with showier flower clusters in pink and red, though it and other ornamental species often suffer from leaf spot, fire blight, and cedar hawthorn rust, which cause early defoliation and decline.

A most strikingly thorned American species is the cockspur hawthorn (C. crus-galli), with extremely long, slender thorns up to 8 cm (3 inches) long; a thornless variety is also available. The Washington hawthorn (C. phaenopyrum) is famous for its red autumn colour and its abundant clusters of orange-red fruits that persist on the twigs well into winter; it is somewhat susceptible to rust but is otherwise a durable and much-used ornamental. Downy, or red, hawthorn (C. mollis) has whitish hairs on young twigs and downy leaves. The Lavalle hawthorn (C. ×lavallei) is a compact vase-shaped tree with dense glossy foliage.

Numerous wild species form thickets in the eastern half of the United States, including the green hawthorn (C. viridis), the western mayhaw (C. opaca), the Copenhagen hawthorn (C. intricata), the dotted hawthorn (C. punctata), and the fleshy hawthorn (C. succulenta). Ecologically, hawthorns are especially important to a variety of bird species, as they provide both food and protective nesting areas.