How to grow hawthorn
Find out how to grow hawthorn, either as part of a hedge or as a standard tree, in our detailed Grow Guide.
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Hawthorn (Crataegus) is synonymous with late spring, when its white and pink blossoms mark the changing season. We have two native hawthorns in the UK – Crataegus monogyna and Crataegus laevigata. Both grow individually as a small tree and are also used in hedging, either on their own or in a mix with other native hedgerow plants. The leaves, flowers and fruit (also known as ‘haws’) are eaten by a number of wildlife species, and its dense thorny habit provides a safe nesting place for birds. Hawthorns make a good screen or specimen tree and are among the best trees for small gardens.
Where to plant hawthorn
Hawthorns are full hardy, so will suit most garden locations. Ideally plant in moist but well-drained soil in full sun to partial shade.
How to plant hawthorn
Hawthorns are best planted when dormant, from autumn to spring, as bare-root trees or hedging plants.
How to propagate hawthorn
The best method of propagating hawthorns is from seed, saved from the haws or berries. It takes a long time, but start by mashing the berries to extract the seed and mix with sand. Sow in fine compost mixed with leaf mould, in pots. Keep well watered and seeds will germinate in around 18 months.
In this video clip from Gardeners' World, Carol Klein shows you how to gather rose hips and hawthorn berries in autumn, then explains how to stratify them to encourage germination a couple of weeks later:
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Hawthorn: problem solving
Hawthorns are pretty tough and disease resistant.
How to care for hawthorns
Hawthorns do not need much aftercare or pruning, unless you're growing them as part of a hedge.
Great hawthorn varieties to try
- Crataegus ‘Crus-galli’ - a more unusual variety, native to Canada and North America, this offers good seasonal interest, with lots of creamy-white flowers in early summer followed by deep-red fruits, plus good foliage colour in autumn
- Crataegus monogyna - this is one of our native varieties. It has fragrant white flowers in late spring, followed by glossy dark red fruit, known as haws. Trained as a hedge it will reach between 1.5 and 3m in height
- Crataegus monogyna 'Ferox' - a large shrub or small tree with white scented flowers in late spring or early summer, followed by red fruits in autumn. It has thorns at the stem nodes
- Crataegus persimilis ‘Prunifolia’ - a compact tree with long thorns, dark green foliage, and white flowers in early summer, followed by typical red fruits. The leaves have a fantastic autumn colour
- Crataegus tanacetifolia - an upright, thornless tree with grey-green leaves fragrant white flowers in mid-summer and aromatic, orange-yellow fruits in autumn
- Crataegus laevigata ‘Paul’s Scarlet’ – a variety of our other native hawthorn, Midland hawthorn, this has red, double flowers and grows to 8m in height
Frequently asked questions
Can I plant hawthorn from cuttings?
It's tricky to raise hawthorn from cuttings as they don’t tend to take very well. Hawthorn is more often propagated from seed in late summer, although plants may not grow true to the parent if it's a named variety. Another possibility is to buy inexpensive hawthorn whips (unbranched young plants) rather than raising plants from seed.
Help! My hawthorn hedge has bare patches. How can I rescue it?
There are different ways to rescue a hawthorn hedge with bare patches. You could cut the hedge back hard in winter, removing up to half of the growth. Alternatively, you could lay the hedge to increase its thickness, following traditional methods where plants are partially cut at the base and then bent over horizontally and woven into the hedge. Wear gloves, eye protection and other protective clothing when pruning hawthorn to avoid getting hurt by the thorns.
My hawthorn leaves are dropping and there is white fluff on the stems. Does my hawthorn tree have a disease?
Hawthorn is deciduous, so leaves will fall in autumn. If hawthorn leaves turn yellow or brown, or drop at other times, the plant may be suffering from drought stress. White fluff is likely to be produced by woolly aphids, which feed on hawthorn as well as other plants such as apples, crab apples, pears and cotoneaster. If possible, aphids should be left as part of a healthy garden ecosystem. Natural predators of aphids include some ladybird and hoverfly larvae, and birds like blue tits. If necessary, woolly aphids can be removed with water and a stiff brush.
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