''Crataegus'' (), commonly called hawthorn, quickthorn, thornapple, Voss, E. G. 1985. ''Michigan Flora: A guide to the identification and occurrence of the native and naturalized seed-plants of the state. Part II: Dicots (Saururaceae–Cornaceae)''. Cranbrook Institute of Science and

University of Michigan Herbarium The University of Michigan Herbarium is the herbarium of the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, Michigan, in the United States. One of the most-extensive botanical collections in the world, the herbarium has some 1.7 million specimens of vascul ...

, Ann Arbor, Michigan. May-tree,Graves, Robert. ''The White Goddess: A Historical Grammar of Poetic Myth'', 1948, amended and enlarged 1966, New York: Farrar, Straus and Giroux. whitethorn, Mayflower, or hawberry, is a

genus Genus ( plural genera ) is a taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms as well as viruses. In the hierarchy of biological classification, genus comes above species and below family. In binomial n ...

of several hundred species of shrubs and

tree In botany, a tree is a perennial plant with an elongated stem, or trunk, usually supporting branches and leaves. In some usages, the definition of a tree may be narrower, including only woody plants with secondary growth, plants that are ...

s in the

family Family (from la, familia) is a group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or affinity (by marriage or other relationship). The purpose of the family is to maintain the well-being of its members and of society. Idea ...

Rosaceae Rosaceae (), the rose family, is a medium-sized family of flowering plants that includes 4,828 known species in 91 genera. The name is derived from the type genus ''Rosa''. Among the most species-rich genera are '' Alchemilla'' (270), '' Sorbu ...

native Native may refer to: People * Jus soli, citizenship by right of birth * Indigenous peoples, peoples with a set of specific rights based on their historical ties to a particular territory ** Native Americans (disambiguation) In arts and enterta ...

temperate In geography, the temperate climates of Earth occur in the middle latitudes (23.5° to 66.5° N/S of Equator), which span between the tropics and the polar regions of Earth. These zones generally have wider temperature ranges throughout t ...

regions of the Northern Hemisphere in Europe, Asia, North Africa, and North America. The name "hawthorn" was originally applied to the species native to northern Europe, especially the

common hawthorn ''Crataegus monogyna'', known as common hawthorn, one-seed hawthorn, or single-seeded hawthorn, is a species of flowering plant in the rose family Rosaceae. It is native to Europe, northwestern Africa, and West Asia, but has been introduced i ...

''C. monogyna'', and the unmodified name is often so used in Britain and Ireland. The name is now also applied to the entire genus and to the related Asian genus ''

Rhaphiolepis ''Rhaphiolepis'' ( or ;The first pronunciation is that expected for Anglo-Latin; the second is common in nurseries. ''Sunset Western Garden Book,'' 1995:606–607. However, William T. Stearn in his book ''Botanical Latin'' says "Botanical Lati ...

''.

Etymology

The generic epithet, ''Crataegus'', is derived from the Greek "strength" because of the great strength of the wood and "sharp", referring to the thorns of some species. The name haw, originally an Old English term for hedge (from the

Anglo-Saxon The Anglo-Saxons were a Cultural identity, cultural group who inhabited England in the Early Middle Ages. They traced their origins to settlers who came to Britain from mainland Europe in the 5th century. However, the ethnogenesis of the Anglo- ...

term , "a fence with thorns"), also applies to the fruit.

Description

''Crataegus'' species are shrubs or small

s, mostly growing to tall,Phipps, J.B., O'Kennon, R.J., Lance, R.W. (2003). ''Hawthorns and medlars''. Royal Horticultural Society, Cambridge, U.K. with small

pome In botany, a pome is a type of fruit produced by flowering plants in the subtribe Malinae of the family Rosaceae. Well-known pomes include the apple, pear, and quince. Etymology The word ''pome'' entered English in the late 14th century, an ...

fruit In botany, a fruit is the seed-bearing structure in flowering plants that is formed from the ovary after flowering. Fruits are the means by which flowering plants (also known as angiosperms) disseminate their seeds. Edible fruits in partic ...

and (usually) thorny branches. The most common type of bark is smooth grey in young individuals, developing shallow longitudinal fissures with narrow ridges in older trees. The

thorn Thorn(s) or The Thorn(s) may refer to: Botany * Thorns, spines, and prickles, sharp structures on plants * ''Crataegus monogyna'', or common hawthorn, a plant species Comics and literature * Rose and Thorn, the two personalities of two DC Comi ...

s are small sharp-tipped branches that arise either from other branches or from the trunk, and are typically long (recorded as up to in one case). The leaves grow spirally arranged on

long shoot In botany, a plant shoot consists of any plant stem together with its appendages, leaves and lateral buds, flowering stems, and flower buds. The new growth from seed germination that grows upward is a shoot where leaves will develop. In the sp ...

s, and in clusters on

spur shoot In botany, a plant shoot consists of any plant stem together with its appendages, leaves and lateral buds, flowering stems, and flower buds. The new growth from seed germination that grows upward is a shoot where leaves will develop. In the sp ...

s on the branches or twigs. The leaves of most species have lobed or serrated margins and are somewhat variable in shape. The fruit, sometimes known as a "haw", is

berry A berry is a small, pulpy, and often edible fruit. Typically, berries are juicy, rounded, brightly colored, sweet, sour or tart, and do not have a stone or pit, although many pips or seeds may be present. Common examples are strawberries, rasp ...

-like but structurally a

containing from one to five

pyrenes Pyrene is a polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) consisting of four fused benzene rings, resulting in a flat aromatic system. The chemical formula is . This yellow solid is the smallest peri-fused PAH (one where the rings are fused through mor ...

that resemble the "stones" of

plum A plum is a fruit of some species in ''Prunus'' subg. ''Prunus'.'' Dried plums are called prunes. History Plums may have been one of the first fruits domesticated by humans. Three of the most abundantly cultivated species are not found ...

peach The peach (''Prunus persica'') is a deciduous tree first domesticated and cultivated in Zhejiang province of Eastern China. It bears edible juicy fruits with various characteristics, most called peaches and others (the glossy-skinned, non- ...

es, etc., which are

drupaceous In botany, a drupe (or stone fruit) is an indehiscent fruit in which an outer fleshy part (exocarp, or skin, and mesocarp, or flesh) surrounds a single shell (the ''pit'', ''stone'', or ''pyrena'') of hardened endocarp with a seed (''kernel'') ...

fruit in the same subfamily.

Taxonomy

The number of

species In biology, a species is the basic unit of Taxonomy (biology), classification and a taxonomic rank of an organism, as well as a unit of biodiversity. A species is often defined as the largest group of organisms in which any two individuals of ...

in the genus depends on taxonomic interpretation. Some botanists in the past recognised 1000 or more species, many of which are apomictic microspecies. A reasonable number is estimated to be 200 species. The genus likely first appeared in the

Eocene The Eocene ( ) Epoch is a geological epoch that lasted from about 56 to 33.9 million years ago (mya). It is the second epoch of the Paleogene Period in the modern Cenozoic Era. The name ''Eocene'' comes from the Ancient Greek (''ēṓs'', " ...

, with the ancestral area likely being Eastern North America and in Europe, which at that time remained closely linked due to the North Atlantic

Land Bridge In biogeography, a land bridge is an isthmus or wider land connection between otherwise separate areas, over which animals and plants are able to cross and colonize new lands. A land bridge can be created by marine regression, in which sea ...

. The earliest known leaves of the genus from the Eocene of North America, with the earliest leaves from Europe being from the

Oligocene The Oligocene ( ) is a geologic epoch of the Paleogene Period and extends from about 33.9 million to 23 million years before the present ( to ). As with other older geologic periods, the rock beds that define the epoch are well identified but ...

. The genus is classified into

sections Section, Sectioning or Sectioned may refer to: Arts, entertainment and media * Section (music), a complete, but not independent, musical idea * Section (typography), a subdivision, especially of a chapter, in books and documents ** Section sig ...

which are further divided into series. Series ''Montaninsulae'' has not yet been assigned to a section. The sections are: * section'' Brevispinae'' * section ''Crataegus'' * section ''Coccineae'' * section ''Cuneatae'' * section ''Douglasia'' * section ''Hupehensis'' * section ''Macracanthae'' * section ''Sanguineae''

Selected species

*''

Crataegus aemula ''Crataegus aemula'', the Rome hawthorn, is a species of hawthorn that is common in some parts of Mississippi and Georgia, and also occurs in Alabama (We dare defend our rights) , anthem = "Alabama" , image_map = Alabama in United States. ...

'' – Rome hawthorn *''

Crataegus aestivalis ''Crataegus aestivalis'', known as the eastern mayhaw, is a shrub or small tree of the southeastern United States that grows in low-lying or wet areas from eastern Alabama to central Florida and Virginia. It is one of several species of hawthorn ...

'' – May hawthorn *'' Crataegus alabamensis'' – Alabama hawthorn *'' Crataegus altaica'' – Altai hawthorn *''

Crataegus ambigua ''Crataegus ambigua'' is a species of thorn ( hawthorn) native to Western Asia and Eastern Europe, including Armenia, Iran, Russia, and Turkey. It grows as a shrub or tree up to about 12 m in height. The fruit is dark red to purple or black, with ...

'' – Russian hawthorn *''

Crataegus ambitiosa ''Crataegus ambitiosa'', the Grand Rapids hawthorn, is a species of hawthorn endemic to Michigan, in the Great Lakes The Great Lakes, also called the Great Lakes of North America, are a series of large interconnected freshwater lakes in th ...

'' – Grand Rapids hawthorn *''

Crataegus anamesa ''Crataegus anamesa'', the Fort Bend hawthorn, is a species of hawthorn that is endemic to Texas Texas (, ; Spanish: ''Texas'', ''Tejas'') is a state in the South Central region of the United States. At 268,596 square miles (695,662&nb ...

'' – Fort Bend hawthorn *''

Crataegus ancisa ''Crataegus ancisa'', the Mississippi hawthorn, is a species of hawthorn that grows as a shrub or tree, and is endemic to the Southern United States, in North America. Distribution ''Crataegus ancisa'' is found in Mississippi and Alabama (W ...

'' – Mississippi hawthorn *''

Crataegus annosa ''Crataegus annosa'' is a poorly known species of hawthorn that is endemic to Alabama, and first recorded from Russell County there, in the Southern United States of North America.

'' – Phoenix City hawthorn *''

Crataegus aprica ''Crataegus aprica'' is a species of hawthorn native to the southeastern United States. It is a bush with small leaves and fruit that go through an apricot-coloured stage before becoming red. See also * List of hawthorn species with yellow fruit ...

'' – sunny hawthorn *''

Crataegus arborea ''Crataegus arborea'', the Montgomery hawthorn, is a North American species of hawthorn, native to the eastern United States. It is a shrub or small tree. Distribution ''Crataegus arborea'' is found in Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Indiana, Missou ...

'' – Montgomery hawthorn *'' Crataegus arcana'' – Carolina hawthorn *''

Crataegus ater ''Crataegus ater'', known as the Nashville hawthorn, is a species of hawthorn that grows as a shrub or tree, native to the Great Lakes region of North America.Crataegus austromontana'' – valley head hawthorn *''

Crataegus azarolus ''Crataegus azarolus'' is a species of hawthorn known by the common names azarole, azerole, and Mediterranean medlar. It is native to the Mediterranean Basin and is a common plant there, growing on sites comparable to those the European common h ...

'' – Azarole hawthorn *''

Crataegus berberifolia ''Crataegus berberifolia'', the barberry hawthorn is a species of hawthorn from the southeastern United States. There are two varieties, ''C. berberifolia'' var. ''berberifolia'' has 20 stamen The stamen (plural ''stamina'' or ''stamens'') i ...

'' – barberry hawthorn *''

Crataegus biltmoreana ''Crataegus biltmoreana'' is a species of hawthorn native to the Southeastern United States. It is one of many hawthorn species named by Chauncey Delos Beadle when he worked at the Biltmore Estate. The fruit are green, yellow, or orange. It is s ...

'' – Biltmore hawthorn *''

Crataegus boyntonii ''Crataegus boyntonii'' is a species of hawthorn native to the southeastern United States. Its fruit are "yellow-green flushed with red". It is sometimes considered to be a synonym of ''Crataegus intricata ''Crataegus intricata'' is a species ...

'' – stinking hawthorn *''

Crataegus brachyacantha ''Crataegus brachyacantha'' is one of the "black-fruited" species of hawthorn, but it is only very distantly related to the other black-fruited species such as '' C. douglasii'' or '' C. nigra''. The common names blueberry haw and blueberry hawt ...

'' – blueberry hawthorn *''

Crataegus brainerdii ''Crataegus brainerdii'' is a species of flowering plant in the rose family known by the common name Brainerd's hawthorn. It is named for Ezra Brainerd (1844–1924), a renowned botanist and former president of Middlebury College, in Vermont. It ...

'' – Brainerd's hawthorn *''

Crataegus calpodendron ''Crataegus calpodendron'' is a species of hawthorn native to much of the eastern United States and to Ontario Ontario ( ; ) is one of the thirteen provinces and territories of Canada.Ontario is located in the geographic eastern half of C ...

'' – late hawthorn *''

Crataegus canbyi ''Crataegus canbyi'' is a hawthorn that is sometimes considered to be a synonym of '' C. crus-galli''. References canbyi Flora of North America {{Crataegus-stub ...

'' *''

Crataegus chlorosarca ''Crataegus chlorosarca'' is an Asian species of hawthorn with black fruit. Although recommended as an ornamental and hardy in cold climates, it is rarely cultivated. See also * List of hawthorn species with black fruit Most species of '' Cratae ...

'' *''

Crataegus chrysocarpa ''Crataegus chrysocarpa'' is a species of hawthorn that is native to much of the continental United States and Canada. Common names fireberry hawthorn and goldenberry hawthorn, as well as the scientific name all refer to the colour of the unri ...

'' – fireberry hawthorn *''

Crataegus coccinea ''Crataegus coccinea'', the scarlet hawthorn, is a species of hawthorn around which there is considerable confusion because the name has been misapplied for a long time. It has been shown to be the same as ''C. pedicellata'', and under the rule ...

'' – scarlet hawthorn *''

Crataegus coccinioides ''Crataegus coccinioides'' is a species of hawthorn known by the common names Kansas hawthorn and large-flowered cockspurthorn. ''Crataegus coccinioides'' is native from Kansas, to New England, and the southernmost parts of Ontario and Quebec ...

'' – Kansas hawthorn *''

Crataegus collina ''Crataegus collina'' is a type of hawthorn that is closely related to ''C. punctata'', the dotted hawthorn, and sometimes considered to be the same species. A sample of ''C. collina'' and ''C. punctata'' has suggested that ''C. collina'' is p ...

'' – hillside hawthorn *''

Crataegus crus-galli ''Crataegus crus-galli'' is a species of hawthorn known by the common names cockspur hawthorn and cockspur thorn. It is native to eastern North America from Ontario to Texas to Florida, and it is widely used in horticulture. It is thought to be th ...

'' – cockspur hawthorn *''

Crataegus cuneata ''Crataegus cuneata'' is a species of hawthorn known by the common names Chinese hawthorn () or Japanese hawthorn. It is native to China, and is widely cultivated in Japan. It is used for bonsai Bonsai ( ja, 盆栽, , tray planting, ) ...

'' – Japanese hawthorn *''

Crataegus cupulifera ''Crataegus cupulifera'' is a hawthorn Hawthorn or Hawthorns may refer to: Plants * '' Crataegus'' (hawthorn), a large genus of shrubs and trees in the family Rosaceae * ''Rhaphiolepis'' (hawthorn), a genus of about 15 species of evergreen s ...

'' *''

Crataegus dahurica ''Crataegus dahurica'' is a species of hawthorn Hawthorn or Hawthorns may refer to: Plants * '' Crataegus'' (hawthorn), a large genus of shrubs and trees in the family Rosaceae * ''Rhaphiolepis'' (hawthorn), a genus of about 15 species of ev ...

'' *''

Crataegus dilatata ''Crataegus dilatata'' is a species of hawthorn known by the common names broadleaf hawthorn and apple-leaf hawthorn. ''Crataegus dilatata'' is native from New York to New England, and the southernmost parts of Ontario and Quebec. They grow to a ...

'' – broadleaf hawthorn, Apple-leaf hawthorn *''

Crataegus douglasii ''Crataegus douglasii'' is a North American species of hawthorn known by the common names black hawthorn and Douglas' thornapple. It is most abundant in the Pacific Northwest. Description ''Crataegus douglasii'' is a compact erect bushy shrub ...

'' – black hawthorn, Douglas hawthorn *''

Crataegus ellwangeriana ''Crataegus ellwangeriana'' is a named hawthorn species that has been poorly understood and often misidentified. It is now considered to be a synonym of '' C. coccinea'' var. ''coccinea''. A study concluded, that '' C. pennsylvanica'' of series ...

'' *''

Crataegus erythropoda ''Crataegus erythropoda'' is a hawthorn native to the southern Rocky Mountains in the United States. The leaves are conspicuously shiny above and fruit ("haws") are dark purplish red. It is seldom cultivated, but at one time was listed in the nu ...

'' – cerro hawthorn *''

Crataegus flabellata ''Crataegus flabellata'' is a species of hawthorn known by the common name fanleaf hawthorn. It is native to the northeastern United States and adjacent Canada. It is intermediate in appearance between ''C. macrosperma'' and ''C. chrysocarpa' ...

'' – Gray's hawthorn, fanleaf hawthorn *''

Crataegus flava ''Crataegus flava'', common names summer haw and yellow-fruited thorn, is a species of hawthorn native to the southeastern United States from Virginia to Florida, west to Mississippi. Unfortunately, due to an error by Sargent the name ''C. flava' ...

'' – yellow-fruited hawthorn *''

Crataegus fluviatilis ''Crataegus fluviatilis'' is a species of hawthorn similar to ''C. flabellata'' and to ''C. macrosperma''. The name ''C. apiomorpha'' has been applied to a form of the species that is most similar to ''C. macrosperma''. References fluvia ...

'' *'' Crataegus fontanesiana'' *''

Crataegus greggiana ''Crataegus'' (), commonly called hawthorn, quickthorn, thornapple, Voss, E. G. 1985. ''Michigan Flora: A guide to the identification and occurrence of the native and naturalized seed-plants of the state. Part II: Dicots (Saururaceae–Cornacea ...

'' – Gregg's hawthorn *''

Crataegus harbisonii ''Crataegus harbisonii'' is a rare species of hawthorn. Once common in the Nashville area, its population has been reduced significantly in modern times. It is now currently known only from small populations in Davidson and Obion County, Tennes ...

'' – Harbison's hawthorn *''

Crataegus heldreichii ''Crataegus heldreichii'' is a species of flowering plant in the family Rosaceae. It is a hawthorn with red fruit that is native to Albania, Bulgaria, Greece and Yugoslavia Yugoslavia (; sh-Latn-Cyrl, separator=" / ", Jugoslavija, Ју� ...

'' *''

Crataegus heterophylla ''Crataegus heterophylla'', known as the various-leaved hawthorn, is of uncertain origin. Its original native range is not known, possibly it was the Caucasus of Western Asia. Suggestions that it originated in Southeast Europe may be based on mi ...

'' – various-leaved hawthorn *''

Crataegus holmesiana ''Crataegus holmesiana'' is a species of hawthorn Hawthorn or Hawthorns may refer to: Plants * '' Crataegus'' (hawthorn), a large genus of shrubs and trees in the family Rosaceae * ''Rhaphiolepis'' (hawthorn), a genus of about 15 species of ...

'' – Holmes' hawthorn *''

Crataegus hupehensis ''Crataegus hupehensis'' is an Asian species of hawthorn that can grow to be a substantial tree. It is similar to '' C. pinnatifida var. major'', but with less pronounced lobes on the leaves. References hupehensis {{crataegus-stub ...

'' *''

Crataegus intricata ''Crataegus intricata'' is a species of hawthorn known by the common names Copenhagen hawthorn, Lange's thorn and thicket hawthorn. It is native to eastern Canada and the eastern United States. Its fruit are brown to red.Lange, J.M.C. 1897. ''Re ...

'' – thicket hawthorn, intricate hawthorn *''

Crataegus iracunda ''Crataegus iracunda'', with common name passionate hawthorn, and sometimes called the stolon-bearing hawthorn is a North American species of hawthorn. It was described in 1899 by Chauncey Delos Beadle of the Biltmore Herbarium (Biltmore Estat ...

'' – stolon–bearing hawthorn *''

Crataegus jackii ''Crataegus jackii'' is a hawthorn that is restricted to southern Quebec. It is related to and has been considered to be a synonym of '' C. chrysocarpa'', but is very hairy, with larger flowers, and has been made a synonym of ''C. lumaria'' As ...

'' *''

Crataegus jonesae ''Crataegus jonesae'' is a species of hawthorn native to New England and Canada. It is named in honor of landscape architect Beatrix Jones Farrand Beatrix Cadwalader Farrand (née Jones; June 19, 1872 – February 28, 1959) was an American ...

'' *''

Crataegus kansuensis ''Crataegus kansuensis'', the Gansu hawthorn (), is a species of hawthorn found in China. They are shrubs or small trees, often very thorny. They prefer to grow in mixed forests, on shaded slopes and alongside streams, 1,000 to 3,000m above sea ...

'' – Gansu hawthorn *''

Crataegus laevigata ''Crataegus laevigata'', known as the Midland hawthorn, English hawthorn, woodland hawthorn, or mayflower, is a species of hawthorn native to western and central Europe, from Great Britain (where it is typically found in ancient woodland and old ...

'' – Midland hawthorn, English hawthorn *'' Crataegus lassa'' – sandhill hawthorn *''

Crataegus lepida ''Crataegus lepida'' is the smallest of the hawthorn species in series ''Lacrimatae'', the "weeping hawthorns", of the southeastern U.S. It blooms when less than 1 m tall and has great potential as a garden plant. References lepida Flor ...

'' *''

Crataegus macrosperma ''Crataegus macrosperma'', the bigfruit hawthorn is a species of hawthorn native to most of the eastern United States and adjacent Canada, though uncommon at lower altitudes in the south. It is sometimes misidentified as ''C. flabellata''. It i ...

'' – big-fruit hawthorn *''

Crataegus marshallii ''Crataegus marshallii'' is a species of hawthorn Hawthorn or Hawthorns may refer to: Plants * '' Crataegus'' (hawthorn), a large genus of shrubs and trees in the family Rosaceae * ''Rhaphiolepis'' (hawthorn), a genus of about 15 species of ...

'' – parsley-leaved hawthorn *''

Crataegus maximowiczii ''Crataegus maximowiczii'' is a species of hawthorn with fruit that are red to purple-black. See also * List of hawthorn species with black fruit References maximowiczii {{Crataegus-stub ...

'' *''

Crataegus mercerensis ''Crataegus mercerensis'' is a hawthorn that is considered to be a synonym of either '' C. chrysocarpa'' or of '' C. dodgei''. References mercerensis Flora of North America {{Crataegus-stub ...

'' *'' Crataegus mexicana'' – tejocote, Mexican hawthorn *'' Crataegus mollis'' – downy hawthorn *''

Crataegus monogyna ''Crataegus monogyna'', known as common hawthorn, one-seed hawthorn, or single-seeded hawthorn, is a species of flowering plant in the rose family Rosaceae. It is native to Europe, northwestern Africa, and West Asia, but has been introduced in ...

'' – common hawthorn, oneseed hawthorn *''

Crataegus nigra ''Crataegus nigra'', the Hungarian thorn, Hungarian hawthorn or Black hawthorn, is a black-fruited species of hawthorn native to the western balkan and the Pannonian Basin, spanning from Slovakia to Albania. The fruit, which is up to 10 ...

'' – Hungarian hawthorn *''

Crataegus okanaganensis ''Crataegus okanaganensis'' is a species of hawthorn native to western British Columbia, Washington state and Montana Montana () is a U.S. state, state in the Mountain states, Mountain West List of regions of the United States#Census B ...

'' – Okanagan Valley hawthorn *''

Crataegus opaca ''Crataegus opaca'', known as the western mayhaw, is a shrub or small tree of the southern United States. It is one of several species of hawthorn with fruits known as "mayhaws". Description ''Crataegus opaca'' can be characterized as either ...

'' – western mayhaw *''

Crataegus orientalis ''Crataegus orientalis'', known as oriental hawthorn, is a species of hawthorn native to the Mediterranean region, Turkey, Caucasia, Crimea, and western Iran, with fruits that are orange or various shades of red. This species is highly variabl ...

'' – oriental hawthorn *''

Crataegus pedicellata ''Crataegus coccinea'', the scarlet hawthorn, is a species of hawthorn around which there is considerable confusion because the name has been misapplied for a long time. It has been shown to be the same as ''C. pedicellata'', and under the rules ...

'' – scarlet hawthorn *''

Crataegus pennsylvanica ''Crataegus pennsylvanica'', known as the Pennsylvania thorn, is a species of hawthorn native to Delaware, New York, North Carolina, Ontario, Ohio, and Pennsylvania, that grows to about 8 m in height. The mature trees have few thorns. This ...

'' – Pennsylvania thorn *''

Crataegus pentagyna ''Crataegus pentagyna'', also called small-flowered black hawthorn, is a species of hawthorn native to southeastern Europe. Two subspecies are recognized, ''C. p.'' subsp. ''pentagyna'' and ''C. p.'' subsp. ''pseudomelanocarpa''. The fruit are usu ...

'' – small-flowered black hawthorn *''

Crataegus peregrina ''Crataegus pentagyna'', also called small-flowered black hawthorn, is a species of hawthorn native to southeastern Europe. Two subspecies are recognized, ''C. p.'' subsp. ''pentagyna'' and ''C. p.'' subsp. ''pseudomelanocarpa''. The fruit are usu ...

'' *''

Crataegus persimilis ''Crataegus persimilis'' is a species of Crataegus, hawthorn, known by the common names plumleaf hawthorn and broad-leaved cockspur thorn, native to southern Ontario, Canada, and the US states of New York (state), New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Ke ...

'' – plumleaf hawthorn *''

Crataegus phaenopyrum ''Crataegus phaenopyrum'' is a species of hawthorn commonly known as Washington hawthorn or Washington thorn. It is widely grown as an ornamental plant, and can reach 10 m (about 32 feet) in height. The small red berry-like fruit grow closely tog ...

'' – Washington hawthorn *''

Crataegus phippsii ''Crataegus phippsii'' is a species of hawthorn native to south-central British Columbia, Washington state, and Montana. It forms a shrub or small tree to 7 m in height with leaves that have white hair on the underside, and fruit that ripen th ...

'' *''

Crataegus pinnatifida ''Crataegus pinnatifida'', also known as mountain hawthorn, Chinese haw, Chinese hawthorn or Chinese hawberry, refers to a small to medium-sized tree, as well as the fruit of the tree. The fruit is bright red, in diameter. Use Culinary use In ...

'' – Chinese hawthorn *''

Crataegus populnea ''Crataegus populnea'' is a hawthorn Hawthorn or Hawthorns may refer to: Plants * '' Crataegus'' (hawthorn), a large genus of shrubs and trees in the family Rosaceae * ''Rhaphiolepis'' (hawthorn), a genus of about 15 species of evergreen shr ...

'' – poplar hawthorn *'' Crataegus pratensis'' – prairie hawthorn *''

Crataegus pruinosa ''Crataegus pruinosa'' is a species of hawthorn known by the common name frosted hawthorn. It is native to a wide area of the eastern United States and southern Canada, and is sometimes considered to be several species, rather than just one. Th ...

'' – frosted hawthorn *''

Crataegus pulcherrima ''Crataegus pulcherrima'' is a species of Hawthorn native to the southeastern United States. This species and those related to it that are classified in '' Crataegus'' series '' Pulcherrimae'' have been largely ignored since they were originally ...

'' – beautiful hawthorn *''

Crataegus punctata ''Crataegus punctata'' is a species of hawthorn known by the common names dotted hawthorn or white haw that is native to most of the eastern United States and eastern Canada. While some sources claim it is the state flower of Missouri, the actua ...

'' – dotted hawthorn, white hawthorn: sometimes claimed as the state flower of

Missouri Missouri is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. Ranking List of U.S. states and territories by area, 21st in land area, it is bordered by eight states (tied for the most with Tennessee ...

, though the legislation does not specify a species *''

Crataegus purpurella ''Crataegus purpurella'', also known as the Loch Lomond hawthorn, is a plant in the ''Crataegus ''Crataegus'' (), commonly called hawthorn, quickthorn, thornapple, Voss, E. G. 1985. ''Michigan Flora: A guide to the identification and occurren ...

'' – Loch Lomond hawthorn *''

Crataegus putnamiana ''Crataegus putnamiana'' is a rare species of North American hawthorn derived from hybridization Hybridization (or hybridisation) may refer to: *Hybridization (biology), the process of combining different varieties of organisms to create a hyb ...

'' *''

Crataegus pycnoloba ''Crataegus pycnoloba'' is a species of hawthorn in the Rosaceae family. It is native to the mountains of the northern and central Peloponnesus of Greece. The plant is a shrub or rarely a small tree. The fruit are red or dark reddish brown when ...

'' *''

Crataegus reverchonii ''Crataegus'' (), commonly called hawthorn, quickthorn, thornapple, Voss, E. G. 1985. ''Michigan Flora: A guide to the identification and occurrence of the native and naturalized seed-plants of the state. Part II: Dicots (Saururaceae–Cornacea ...

'' – Reverchon's hawthorn *''

Crataegus rhipidophylla ''Crataegus rhipidophylla'' is a species of hawthorn which occurs naturally from southern Scandinavia and the Baltic region to France, the Balkan Peninsula, Turkey, Caucasia, and Ukraine. It is poorly known as a landscape and garden plant, but s ...

'' *''

Crataegus rivularis ''Crataegus rivularis'' is a species of hawthorn known by the common name river hawthorn. It is native to the intermontane region of the northwestern United States, situated between the coastal ranges and the Rocky Mountains. ''C. rivularis'' i ...

'' – river hawthorn *''

Crataegus saligna ''Crataegus saligna'' is a species of hawthorn known by the common name willow hawthorn that is seldom cultivated and rather rare in the wild. Its native range is wet areas of western Colorado and northeastern Utah. It is a shrub or small tree wi ...

'' – willow hawthorn *''

Crataegus sanguinea ''Crataegus sanguinea'' (common names redhaw hawthorn or Siberian hawthorn) is a species of hawthorn that is native to southern Siberia, Mongolia, and the extreme north of China. It is cultivated for its edible red berry-like fruit which actually ...

'' – redhaw hawthorn, Siberian hawthorn *''

Crataegus sargentii ''Crataegus sargentii'' is a species of hawthorn Hawthorn or Hawthorns may refer to: Plants * '' Crataegus'' (hawthorn), a large genus of shrubs and trees in the family Rosaceae * ''Rhaphiolepis'' (hawthorn), a genus of about 15 species of e ...

'' – Sargent's hawthorn *''

Crataegus scabrida ''Crataegus scabrida'' is a species of hawthorn Hawthorn or Hawthorns may refer to: Plants * '' Crataegus'' (hawthorn), a large genus of shrubs and trees in the family Rosaceae * ''Rhaphiolepis'' (hawthorn), a genus of about 15 species of ev ...

'' – rough hawthorn *'' Crataegus scabrifolia'' *''

Crataegus songarica ''Crataegus songarica'' is an Asian species of hawthorn with black fruit that is sometimes used medicinally. It is closely related to ''Crataegus ambigua'', a species that has red fruit. Distribution and ecology The native range of the specie ...

'' *''

Crataegus spathulata ''Crataegus spathulata'' is a species hawthorn known by the common name littlehip hawthorn. It is native to the southeastern United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or ...

'' – littlehip hawthorn *'' Crataegus submollis'' – Quebec hawthorn *''

Crataegus succulenta ''Crataegus succulenta'' is a species of hawthorn known by the common names fleshy hawthorn, succulent hawthorn, and round-fruited cockspurthorn. It is "the most wide-ranging hawthorn in North America", native to much of southern Canada, and the U ...

'' – fleshy hawthorn *''

Crataegus tanacetifolia ''Crataegus tanacetifolia'', the tansy-leaved thorn, is a species of hawthorn. It is native to Turkey where it occurs on dry slopes or in rocky places, usually on calcareous rocks. It is a deciduous In the fields of horticulture and Bota ...

'' – tansy–leaved thorn *''

Crataegus texana ''Crataegus texana'', the Texas hawthorn, is a member of the family Rosaceae. Typically, it is found in the form of a small tree or a large shrub and blooms in early spring, usually in the months of March and April. Flowers of the Texas Hawthor ...

'' – Texas hawthorn *''

Crataegus tracyi ''Crataegus tracyi'' is a species of hawthorn from Texas and Mexico Mexico (Spanish: México), officially the United Mexican States, is a country in the southern portion of North America. It is bordered to the north by the United States; ...

'' – Tracy hawthorn *''

Crataegus triflora ''Crataegus triflora'' is an uncommon hawthorn species of the south-eastern United States, of known by the common name three-flowered hawthorn. It is a multi-stemmed shrub tall. The flowers are quite large for hawthorn flowers, and occur in s ...

'' – three-flowered hawthorn *''

Crataegus uniflora ''Crataegus uniflora'' is a species of hawthorn known by the common name one-flowered hawthorn, or dwarf hawthorn. It is native to parts of the southeastern United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as th ...

'' – one-flowered hawthorn, dwarf hawthorn *''

Crataegus viridis ''Crataegus viridis'', the green hawthorn or southern thorn, is a species of hawthorn that is native to the southeastern United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or Ame ...

'' – green hawthorn, including cultivar 'Winter King' *''

Crataegus visenda ''Crataegus visenda'' is a species of hawthorn from the southeastern United States, in Alabama, Florida, and Georgia. It is a large shrub or small tree to 10 m tall. It has been considered as a synonym A synonym is a word, morpheme, or ...

'' *''

Crataegus vulsa ''Crataegus vulsa'', the Alabama hawthorn, is a rare species of hawthorn from northeastern Alabama and northwestern Georgia Georgia most commonly refers to: * Georgia (country), a country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia * Georgia (U.S. st ...

'' – Alabama hawthorn *''

Crataegus wattiana ''Crataegus wattiana'', the Altai hawthorn, is an Asian species of hawthorn Hawthorn or Hawthorns may refer to: Plants * '' Crataegus'' (hawthorn), a large genus of shrubs and trees in the family Rosaceae * ''Rhaphiolepis'' (hawthorn), a gen ...

'' – Altai hawthorn *''

Crataegus wilsonii ''Crataegus wilsonii'' is a species of hawthorn native to the mountains of southwestern China at elevations of 900 to 3000 meters. It is an ornamental tree, intolerant of summer drought, that is rarely cultivated. References wilsonii Flo ...

'' – Wilson hawthorn

Selected hybrids

* ''Crataegus'' × ''ariifolia'' (= ''C. ariaefolia'') * ''Crataegus'' × ''dsungarica'' * ''Crataegus'' × ''grignonensis'' – Grignon hawthorn, an unpublished name * ''Crataegus'' × ''lavalleei'' – Lavallée hawthorn, including ''Crataegus'' × ''carrierei'' * ''Crataegus'' × ''macrocarpa'' * ''Crataegus'' × ''media'' – the name for ''C. monogyna''–''C. laevigata'' hybrids * ''Crataegus'' × ''mordenensis'' – Morden hawthorn, including 'Toba' and 'Snowbird' * ''Crataegus'' × ''sinaica'' – ''za'rur'' * ''Crataegus'' × ''smithiana'' – red Mexican hawthorn, an unpublished name * ''Crataegus'' × ''vailiae''

Ecology

Hawthorns provide food and shelter for many species of

bird Birds are a group of warm-blooded vertebrates constituting the class Aves (), characterised by feathers, toothless beaked jaws, the laying of hard-shelled eggs, a high metabolic rate, a four-chambered heart, and a strong yet lightweig ...

s and mammals, and the

flower A flower, sometimes known as a bloom or blossom, is the reproductive structure found in flowering plants (plants of the division Angiospermae). The biological function of a flower is to facilitate reproduction, usually by providing a mechanism ...

s are important for many nectar-feeding

insect Insects (from Latin ') are pancrustacean hexapod invertebrates of the class Insecta. They are the largest group within the arthropod phylum. Insects have a chitinous exoskeleton, a three-part body (head, thorax and abdomen), three pairs ...

s. Hawthorns are also used as food plants by the

larva A larva (; plural larvae ) is a distinct juvenile form many animals undergo before metamorphosis into adults. Animals with indirect development such as insects, amphibians, or cnidarians typically have a larval phase of their life cycle. Th ...

e of a

large number Large numbers are numbers significantly larger than those typically used in everyday life (for instance in simple counting or in monetary transactions), appearing frequently in fields such as mathematics, cosmology, cryptography, and statistical ...

of Lepidoptera

, such as the small eggar moth, '' E. lanestris''. Haws are important for

wildlife Wildlife refers to undomesticated animal species, but has come to include all organisms that grow or live wild in an area without being introduced by humans. Wildlife was also synonymous to game: those birds and mammals that were hunted f ...

in winter, particularly

thrushes The thrushes are a passerine bird family, Turdidae, with a worldwide distribution. The family was once much larger before biologists reclassified the former subfamily Saxicolinae, which includes the chats and European robins, as Old World flycat ...

and

waxwing The waxwings are three species of passerine birds classified in the genus ''Bombycilla''. They are pinkish-brown and pale grey with distinctive smooth plumage in which many body feathers are not individually visible, a black and white eyestripe, ...

s; these birds eat the haws and disperse the

seed A seed is an embryonic plant enclosed in a protective outer covering, along with a food reserve. The formation of the seed is a part of the process of reproduction in seed plants, the spermatophytes, including the gymnosperm and angiosper ...

s in their droppings.

Uses

Culinary use

The "haws" or fruits of the common hawthorn, ''C. monogyna'', are edible. In the United Kingdom, they are sometimes used to make a jelly or homemade wine.Wright, John (2010)
''Hedgerow: River Cottage Handbook''
Bloomsbury Publishing Plc, (pp. 73–74) The leaves are edible, and if picked in spring when still young, are tender enough to be used in salads. The young leaves and flower buds, which are also edible, are known as "bread and cheese" in rural England. In the southern United States, fruits of three native species are collectively known as

mayhaw Mayhaw is the name given to the fruit of the species of ''Crataegus'' series ''Aestivales''Phipps, J.B.; O’Kennon, R.J.; Lance, R.W. 2003. ''Hawthorns and medlars''. Royal Horticultural Society, Cambridge, U.K. that are common in wetlands thro ...

s and are made into jellies which are considered a delicacy. The

Kutenai The Kutenai ( ), also known as the Ktunaxa ( ; ), Ksanka ( ), Kootenay (in Canada) and Kootenai (in the United States), are an indigenous people of Canada and the United States. Kutenai bands live in southeastern British Columbia, northern ...

people of northwestern North America used red and black hawthorn fruit for food. On

Manitoulin Island Manitoulin Island is an island in Lake Huron, located within the borders of the Canadian province of Ontario, in the bioregion known as Laurentia. With an area of , it is the largest lake island in the world, large enough that it has over 100 ...

Ontario Ontario ( ; ) is one of the thirteen provinces and territories of Canada.Ontario is located in the geographic eastern half of Canada, but it has historically and politically been considered to be part of Central Canada. Located in Central C ...

, some red-fruited species are called hawberries. During colonization, European settlers ate these fruits during the winter as the only remaining food supply. People born on the island are now called "

haweater Haweater is a designation given to a person born on Manitoulin Island, Ontario. The name derives from the prevalence of hawberries among the island's vegetation. Originally it was reported that early settlers got their vitamin C intake by eating h ...

s". The fruits of '' Crataegus mexicana'' are known in

Mexico Mexico ( Spanish: México), officially the United Mexican States, is a country in the southern portion of North America. It is bordered to the north by the United States; to the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; to the southeast by Guate ...

as ''tejocotes'' and are eaten raw, cooked, or in jam during the winter. They are stuffed in the ''

piñata A piñata (, ) is a container, often made of papier-mâché, pottery, or cloth, that is decorated, filled with candy, and then broken as part of a celebration. Piñatas are commonly associated with Mexico. The idea of breaking a container filled ...

s'' broken during the traditional pre-Christmas celebration known as ''

Las Posadas ''Las Posadas'' is a ''novenario'' (an extended devotional prayer). It is celebrated chiefly in Latin America, Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras, and by Latin Americans in the United States. It is typically celebrated each year between December 16 and ...

''. They are also cooked with other fruits to prepare a Christmas punch. The mixture of ''tejocote'' paste, sugar, and chili powder produces a popular Mexican candy called ''rielitos'', which is manufactured by several brands. The 4 cm fruits of the species ''

'' (Chinese hawthorn) are tart, bright red, and resemble small

crabapple ''Malus'' ( or ) is a genus of about 30–55 species of small deciduous tree In botany, a tree is a perennial plant with an elongated stem, or trunk, usually supporting branches and leaves. In some usages, the definition of a tree may ...

fruits. They are used to make many kinds of Chinese snacks, including

haw flakes Haw flakes () are Chinese sweets made from the fruit of the Chinese hawthorn. The pale/dark pink candy is usually formed into discs two millimeters thick, and packaged in cylindrical stacks with label art resemblant of Chinese fireworks. The s ...

and being coated in sugar syrup and put on a stick ''

tanghulu Tanghulu () or ''Tang hulu'' (), also called ''bingtang hulu'' (), is a traditional Northern Chinese snack consisting of several rock sugar-coated fruits of Chinese hawthorn ('' Crataegus pinnatifida'') on a bamboo skewer. It is named for its c ...

''. The fruits, which are called 山楂 ''shān zhā'' in Chinese, are also used to produce jams, jellies, juices, alcoholic beverages, and other drinks; these could in turn be used in other dishes (for instance, many older recipes for Cantonese sweet and sour sauce call for ''shānzhā'' jam). In

South Korea South Korea, officially the Republic of Korea (ROK), is a country in East Asia, constituting the southern part of the Korea, Korean Peninsula and sharing a Korean Demilitarized Zone, land border with North Korea. Its western border is formed ...

, a liquor called ''sansachun'' (산사춘) is made from the fruits. In

Iran Iran, officially the Islamic Republic of Iran, and also called Persia, is a country located in Western Asia. It is bordered by Iraq and Turkey to the west, by Azerbaijan and Armenia to the northwest, by the Caspian Sea and Turkm ...

, the fruits of ''Crataegus'' (including ''

'' var. ''aronia'', as well as other species) are known as ''zâlzâlak'' and eaten raw as a snack, or made into a jam known by the same name. The fruits of North America's ''

'' are made into preserves.

Research

A 2008

Cochrane Collaboration Cochrane (previously known as the Cochrane Collaboration) is a British international charitable organisation formed to organise medical research findings to facilitate evidence-based choices about health interventions involving health profes ...

meta-analysis A meta-analysis is a statistical analysis that combines the results of multiple scientific studies. Meta-analyses can be performed when there are multiple scientific studies addressing the same question, with each individual study reporting m ...

of previous studies concluded that evidence exists of "a significant benefit in symptom control and physiologic outcomes" for an

extract An extract is a substance made by extracting a part of a raw material, often by using a solvent such as ethanol, oil or water. Extracts may be sold as tinctures, absolutes or in powder form. The aromatic principles of many spices, nuts ...

of hawthorn used as an

adjuvant In pharmacology, an adjuvant is a drug or other substance, or a combination of substances, that is used to increase the efficacy or potency of certain drugs. Specifically, the term can refer to: * Adjuvant therapy Adjuvant therapy, also known ...

in treating

chronic heart failure Heart failure (HF), also known as congestive heart failure (CHF), is a syndrome, a group of signs and symptoms caused by an impairment of the heart's blood pumping function. Symptoms typically include shortness of breath, excessive fatigue, an ...

. A 2010 review concluded that "Crataegus awthornpreparations hold significant potential as a useful remedy in the treatment of

cardiovascular disease Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is a class of diseases that involve the heart or blood vessels. CVD includes coronary artery diseases (CAD) such as angina and myocardial infarction (commonly known as a heart attack). Other CVDs include stroke, ...

". The review indicated the need for further study of the best dosages and concluded that although "many different theoretical interactions between ''Crataegus'' and orthodox medications have been postulated ... none have etbeen substantiated.

Phytochemical Phytochemicals are chemical compounds produced by plants, generally to help them resist fungi, bacteria and plant virus infections, and also consumption by insects and other animals. The name comes . Some phytochemicals have been used as poison ...

s found in hawthorn include

tannin Tannins (or tannoids) are a class of astringent, polyphenolic biomolecules that bind to and precipitate proteins and various other organic compounds including amino acids and alkaloids. The term ''tannin'' (from Anglo-Norman ''tanner ...

flavonoid Flavonoids (or bioflavonoids; from the Latin word ''flavus'', meaning yellow, their color in nature) are a class of polyphenolic secondary metabolites found in plants, and thus commonly consumed in the diets of humans. Chemically, flavonoids ...

oligomeric proanthocyanidins Condensed tannins (proanthocyanidins, polyflavonoid tannins, catechol-type tannins, pyrocatecollic type tannins, non-hydrolyzable tannins or flavolans) are polymers formed by the condensation of flavans. They do not contain sugar residues. They ...

, and

phenolic acid Phenolic acids or phenolcarboxylic acids are types of aromatic acid compounds. Included in that class are substances containing a phenolic ring and an organic carboxylic acid function (C6-C1 skeleton). Two important naturally occurring types of ph ...

Traditional medicine

Several species of hawthorn have been used in

traditional medicine Traditional medicine (also known as indigenous medicine or folk medicine) comprises medical aspects of traditional knowledge that developed over generations within the folk beliefs of various societies, including indigenous peoples, before th ...

. The products used are often derived from ''C. monogyna'', ''C. laevigata'', or related ''Crataegus'' species, "collectively known as hawthorn", not necessarily distinguishing between these species. The

dried fruit Dried fruit is fruit from which the majority of the original water content has been removed either naturally, through sun drying, or through the use of specialized dryers or dehydrators. Dried fruit has a long tradition of use dating back to th ...

s of ''Crataegus pinnatifida'' (called ''shān zhā'' in Chinese) are used in

traditional Chinese medicine Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) is an alternative medicine, alternative medical practice drawn from traditional medicine in China. It has been described as "fraught with pseudoscience", with the majority of its treatments having no logica ...

, primarily as a digestive aid. A closely related species, ''Crataegus cuneata'' (Japanese hawthorn, called ''sanzashi'' in Japanese) is used in a similar manner. Other species (especially ''Crataegus laevigata'') are used in herbal medicine where the plant is believed to strengthen cardiovascular function. The

Kutenai people The Kutenai ( ), also known as the Ktunaxa ( ; ), Ksanka ( ), Kootenay (in Canada) and Kootenai (in the United States), are an indigenous people of Canada and the United States. Kutenai bands live in southeastern British Columbia, northern ...

of northwestern North America used black hawthorn fruit (

Kutenai language The Kutenai ( ), also known as the Ktunaxa ( ; ), Ksanka ( ), Kootenay (in Canada) and Kootenai (in the United States), are an indigenous people of Canada and the United States. Kutenai bands live in southeastern British Columbia, northern ...

: kaǂa; approximate pronunciation: ''kasha'') for food, and red hawthorn fruit (Kutenai language: ǂupǂi; approximate pronunciation: ''shupshi'') in traditional medicine.

Side effects

Overdose can cause

cardiac arrhythmia Arrhythmias, also known as cardiac arrhythmias, heart arrhythmias, or dysrhythmias, are irregularities in the Cardiac cycle, heartbeat, including when it is too fast or too slow. A resting heart rate that is too fast – above 100 beats per mi ...

and low blood pressure, while milder

side effect In medicine, a side effect is an effect, whether therapeutic or adverse, that is secondary to the one intended; although the term is predominantly employed to describe adverse effects, it can also apply to beneficial, but unintended, consequence ...

s include

nausea Nausea is a diffuse sensation of unease and discomfort, sometimes perceived as an urge to vomit. While not painful, it can be a debilitating symptom if prolonged and has been described as placing discomfort on the chest, abdomen, or back of the ...

and

dizziness Dizziness is an imprecise term that can refer to a sense of disorientation in space, vertigo, or lightheadedness. It can also refer to disequilibrium or a non-specific feeling, such as giddiness or foolishness. Dizziness is a common medical ...

. Patients taking

digoxin Digoxin (better known as Digitalis), sold under the brand name Lanoxin among others, is a medication used to treat various heart conditions. Most frequently it is used for atrial fibrillation, atrial flutter, and heart failure. Digoxin is on ...

should avoid taking hawthorn.

Landscaping

Many species and hybrids are used as

ornamental Ornamental may refer to: *Ornamental grass, a type of grass grown as a decoration *Ornamental iron, mild steel that has been formed into decorative shapes, similar to wrought iron work *Ornamental plant, a plant that is grown for its ornamental qua ...

and street trees. The common hawthorn is extensively used in Europe as a

hedge A hedge or hedgerow is a line of closely spaced shrubs and sometimes trees, planted and trained to form a barrier or to mark the boundary of an area, such as between neighbouring properties. Hedges that are used to separate a road from adjoin ...

plant. During the

British Agricultural Revolution The British Agricultural Revolution, or Second Agricultural Revolution, was an unprecedented increase in agricultural production in Britain arising from increases in labour and land productivity between the mid-17th and late 19th centuries. Agric ...

in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, hawthorn saplings were mass propagated in nurseries to create the new field boundaries required by the

Inclosure Acts The Inclosure Acts, which use an archaic spelling of the word now usually spelt "enclosure", cover enclosure of open fields and common land in England and Wales, creating legal property rights to land previously held in common. Between 1604 and 1 ...

. Several

cultivar A cultivar is a type of cultivated plant that people have selected for desired traits and when propagated retain those traits. Methods used to propagate cultivars include: division, root and stem cuttings, offsets, grafting, tissue culture ...

s of the Midland hawthorn ''C. laevigata'' have been selected for their pink or red flowers. Hawthorns are among the trees most recommended for water conservation landscapes.

Grafting

Hawthorn can be used as a

rootstock A rootstock is part of a plant, often an underground part, from which new above-ground growth can be produced. It could also be described as a stem with a well developed root system, to which a bud from another plant is grafted. It can refer to a ...

in the practice of

grafting Grafting or graftage is a horticultural technique whereby tissues of plants are joined so as to continue their growth together. The upper part of the combined plant is called the scion () while the lower part is called the rootstock. The succ ...

. It is graft-compatible with ''

Mespilus ''Mespilus'', commonly called medlar, is a monotypic genus of flowering plants in the family Rosaceae containing the single species '' Mespilus germanica'' of southwest Asia. It is also found in some countries in the Balkans, especially in Alb ...

'' (medlar), and with

pear Pears are fruits produced and consumed around the world, growing on a tree and harvested in the Northern Hemisphere in late summer into October. The pear tree and shrub are a species of genus ''Pyrus'' , in the family Rosaceae, bearing the p ...

, and makes a hardier rootstock than

quince The quince (; ''Cydonia oblonga'') is the sole member of the genus ''Cydonia'' in the Malinae subtribe (which also contains apples and pears, among other fruits) of the Rosaceae family. It is a deciduous tree that bears hard, aromatic brigh ...

, but the thorny

suckering Basal shoots, root sprouts, adventitious shoots, and suckers are words for various kinds of shoots that grow from adventitious buds on the base of a tree or shrub, or from adventitious buds on its roots. Shoots that grow from buds on the base ...

habit of the hawthorn can be problematic.

Seedling A seedling is a young sporophyte developing out of a plant embryo from a seed. Seedling development starts with germination of the seed. A typical young seedling consists of three main parts: the radicle (embryonic root), the hypocotyl (emb ...

s of ''

'' have been used to graft multiple species on the same trunk, such as pink hawthorn, pear tree, and medlar, the result being trees which give pink and white flowers in May and fruits during the summer. "Chip

budding Budding or blastogenesis is a type of asexual reproduction in which a new organism develops from an outgrowth or bud due to cell division at one particular site. For example, the small bulb-like projection coming out from the yeast cell is kno ...

" has also been performed on hawthorn trunks to have branches of several varieties on the same tree. Such trees can be seen in

Vigo Vigo ( , , , ) is a city and municipality in the province of Pontevedra, within the autonomous community of Galicia, Spain. Located in the northwest of the Iberian Peninsula, it sits on the southern shore of an inlet of the Atlantic Ocean, the ...

Spain , image_flag = Bandera de España.svg , image_coat = Escudo de España (mazonado).svg , national_motto = '' Plus ultra'' ( Latin)(English: "Further Beyond") , national_anthem = (English: "Royal March") , ...

, and in the northwest of

France France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans. Its metropolitan ar ...

(mainly in

Brittany Brittany (; french: link=no, Bretagne ; br, Breizh, or ; Gallo: ''Bertaèyn'' ) is a peninsula, historical country and cultural area in the west of modern France, covering the western part of what was known as Armorica during the period o ...

Bonsai

Many species of Hawthorn make excellent

bonsai Bonsai ( ja, 盆栽, , tray planting, ) is the Japanese art of growing and training miniature trees in pots, developed from the traditional Chinese art form of ''penjing''. Unlike ''penjing'', which utilizes traditional techniques to produce ...

trees. They are grown and enjoyed for their display of flowers.

Other uses

The wood of some ''Crataegus'' species is hard and resistant to rot. In rural North America, it was prized for use as tool handles and fence posts.

First Nations First Nations or first peoples may refer to: * Indigenous peoples, for ethnic groups who are the earliest known inhabitants of an area. Indigenous groups *First Nations is commonly used to describe some Indigenous groups including: ** First Nat ...

people of western Canada used the thorns for durable

fish hook A fish hook or fishhook, formerly also called angle (from Old English ''angol'' and Proto-Germanic ''*angulaz''), is a hook used to catch fish either by piercing and embedding onto the inside of the fish mouth (angling) or, more rarely, by impa ...

s and minor skin

surgeries Surgery ''cheirourgikē'' (composed of χείρ, "hand", and ἔργον, "work"), via la, chirurgiae, meaning "hand work". is a medical specialty that uses operative manual and instrumental techniques on a person to investigate or treat a pat ...

Folklore

The

Scots Scots usually refers to something of, from, or related to Scotland, including: * Scots language, a language of the West Germanic language family native to Scotland * Scots people, a nation and ethnic group native to Scotland * Scoti, a Latin na ...

saying "Ne'er cast a cloot til Mey's oot" conveys a warning not to shed any

cloots Jean-Baptiste du Val-de-Grâce, baron de Cloots (24 June 1755 – 24 March 1794), better known as Anacharsis Cloots (also spelled Clootz), was a Prussian nobleman who was a significant figure in the French Revolution. Perhaps the first to advocat ...

(clothes) before the summer has fully arrived and the Mayflowers (

hawthorn Hawthorn or Hawthorns may refer to: Plants * '' Crataegus'' (hawthorn), a large genus of shrubs and trees in the family Rosaceae * ''Rhaphiolepis'' (hawthorn), a genus of about 15 species of evergreen shrubs and small trees in the family Rosace ...

blossoms) are in full bloom. The custom of employing the flowering branches for decorative purposes on 1 May is of very early origin, but since the adoption of the

Gregorian calendar The Gregorian calendar is the calendar used in most parts of the world. It was introduced in October 1582 by Pope Gregory XIII as a modification of, and replacement for, the Julian calendar. The principal change was to space leap years di ...

in 1752, the tree has rarely been in full bloom in England before the second week of that month. In the Scottish Highlands, the flowers may be seen as late as the middle of June. The hawthorn has been regarded as the emblem of hope, and its branches are stated to have been carried by the ancient Greeks in wedding processions, and to have been used by them to deck the altar of

Hymenaios Hymen ( grc, Ὑμήν), Hymenaios or Hymenaeus, in Hellenistic religion, is a god of marriage ceremonies, inspiring feasts and song. Related to the god's name, a ''hymenaios'' is a genre of Greek lyric poetry sung during the procession of the ...

. The supposition that the tree was the source of

Jesus Jesus, likely from he, יֵשׁוּעַ, translit=Yēšūaʿ, label=Hebrew/Aramaic ( AD 30 or 33), also referred to as Jesus Christ or Jesus of Nazareth (among other names and titles), was a first-century Jewish preacher and religiou ...

's crown of thorns doubtless gave rise to the tradition among the French peasantry (current as late as 1911) that it utters groans and cries on

Good Friday Good Friday is a Christian holiday commemorating the crucifixion of Jesus and his death at Calvary. It is observed during Holy Week as part of the Paschal Triduum. It is also known as Holy Friday, Great Friday, Great and Holy Friday (also Ho ...

, and probably also to the old popular superstition in Great Britain and Ireland that ill luck attended the uprooting of hawthorns. Branches of

Glastonbury thorn The Glastonbury thorn is a form of common hawthorn, '' Crataegus monogyna'' 'Biflora'Phipps, J.B.; O’Kennon, R.J.; Lance, R.W. 2003. ''Hawthorns and medlars''. Royal Horticultural Society, Cambridge, U.K. (sometimes incorrectly called '' Crataeg ...

(''C. monogyna'' 'Biflora', sometimes called ''C. oxyacantha'' var. ''praecox''), which flowers both in December and in spring, were formerly highly valued in England, on account of the legend that the tree was originally the staff of

Joseph of Arimathea Joseph of Arimathea was, according to all four canonical gospels, the man who assumed responsibility for the burial of Jesus after his crucifixion. The historical location of Arimathea is uncertain, although it has been identified with several ...

. Robert Graves, in his book ''

The White Goddess ''The White Goddess: a Historical Grammar of Poetic Myth'' is a book-length essay on the nature of poetic myth-making by author and poet Robert Graves. First published in 1948, the book is based on earlier articles published in ''Wales'' magaz ...

'', traces and reinterprets many European legends and myths in which the whitethorn (hawthorn), also called the May-tree, is central. Crataegus in Germany, bluehender Weissdorn, Mai 2015

Crataegus in Germany, bluehender Weissdorn, Mai 2015

Celtic Celtic, Celtics or Keltic may refer to: Language and ethnicity *pertaining to Celts, a collection of Indo-European peoples in Europe and Anatolia **Celts (modern) *Celtic languages **Proto-Celtic language *Celtic music *Celtic nations Sports Foo ...

lore, the hawthorn plant was used commonly for inscriptions along with

yew Yew is a common name given to various species of trees. It is most prominently given to any of various coniferous trees and shrubs in the genus ''Taxus'': * European yew or common yew (''Taxus baccata'') * Pacific yew or western yew (''Taxus b ...

and

apple An apple is an edible fruit produced by an apple tree (''Malus domestica''). Apple trees are cultivated worldwide and are the most widely grown species in the genus '' Malus''. The tree originated in Central Asia, where its wild ances ...

. It was once said to heal the broken heart. In Ireland, the red fruit is, or was, called the Johnny MacGorey or Magory. Serbian folklore that spread across Balkan notes that hawthorn ( Serbian ''глог'' or ''glog'') is essential to kill

vampire A vampire is a mythical creature that subsists by feeding on the Vitalism, vital essence (generally in the form of blood) of the living. In European folklore, vampires are undead, undead creatures that often visited loved ones and caused mi ...

s, and stakes used for their slaying must be made from the wood of the thorn tree. In

Gaelic Gaelic is an adjective that means "pertaining to the Gaels". As a noun it refers to the group of languages spoken by the Gaels, or to any one of the languages individually. Gaelic languages are spoken in Ireland, Scotland, the Isle of Man, and Ca ...

folklore, hawthorn (in

Scottish Gaelic Scottish Gaelic ( gd, Gàidhlig ), also known as Scots Gaelic and Gaelic, is a Goidelic language (in the Celtic branch of the Indo-European language family) native to the Gaels of Scotland. As a Goidelic language, Scottish Gaelic, as well a ...

, ''sgitheach'' and in

Irish Irish may refer to: Common meanings * Someone or something of, from, or related to: ** Ireland, an island situated off the north-western coast of continental Europe ***Éire, Irish language name for the isle ** Northern Ireland, a constituent unit ...

, ''sceach'') 'marks the entrance to the

otherworld The concept of an otherworld in historical Indo-European religion is reconstructed in comparative mythology. Its name is a calque of ''orbis alius'' (Latin for "other Earth/world"), a term used by Lucan in his description of the Celtic Otherwor ...

' and is strongly associated with the

fairies A fairy (also fay, fae, fey, fair folk, or faerie) is a type of mythical being or legendary creature found in the folklore of multiple European cultures (including Celtic, Slavic, Germanic, English, and French folklore), a form of spirit, of ...

. Campbell, John Gregorson (1900, 1902, 2005) ''The Gaelic Otherworld''. Edited by Ronald Black. Edinburgh, Birlinn Ltd. p.345 Lore has it that it is very unlucky to cut the tree at any time other than when it is in bloom; however, during this time, it is commonly cut and decorated as a May bush (see

Beltane Beltane () is the Gaelic May Day festival. Commonly observed on the first of May, the festival falls midway between the spring equinox and summer solstice in the northern hemisphere. The festival name is synonymous with the month marking th ...

). Danaher, Kevin (1972) ''The Year in Ireland: Irish Calendar Customs'' Dublin, Mercier. pp.86–127 This warning persists to modern times; it has been questioned by folklorist Bob Curran whether the ill luck of the

DeLorean Motor Company The DeLorean Motor Company (DMC) was an American automobile manufacturer formed by automobile industry executive John DeLorean in 1975. It is remembered for the one model it produced—the stainless steel DeLorean sports car featuring gul ...

was associated with the destruction of a fairy thorn to make way for a production facility. The superstitious dread of harming hawthorn trees prevalent in the British Isles may also be connected to an old belief that hawthorns, and more especially 'lone thorns' (self-seeded specimens standing in isolation from other trees) originate from

lightning Lightning is a naturally occurring electrostatic discharge during which two electrically charged regions, both in the atmosphere or with one on the ground, temporarily neutralize themselves, causing the instantaneous release of an average ...

thunderbolt A thunderbolt or lightning bolt is a symbolic representation of lightning when accompanied by a loud thunderclap. In Indo-European mythology, the thunderbolt was identified with the Proto-Indo-European mythology#Sky Father, 'Sky Father'; this ...

s and give protection from lightning strikes. Hawthorn trees are often found beside

clootie well A clootie well is a holy well (or sacred spring), almost always with a tree growing beside it, where small strips of cloth or ribbons are left as part of a healing ritual, usually by tying them to branches of the tree (called a clootie tree or ...

s; at these types of holy wells, they are sometimes known as rag trees, for the strips of cloth which are tied to them as part of healing rituals.Healy, Elizabeth (2002) ''In Search of Ireland's Holy Wells''. Dublin, Wolfhound Press pp.56–7, 69, 81 'When all fruit fails, welcome haws' was once a common expression in Ireland. According to a medieval legend, the

, ''C. monogyna'' 'Biflora', which flowers twice annually, was supposed to have

miraculously A miracle is an event that is inexplicable by natural or scientific lawsOne dictionary define"Miracle"as: "A surprising and welcome event that is not explicable by natural or scientific laws and is therefore considered to be the work of a divin ...

grown from a

walking stick A walking stick or walking cane is a device used primarily to aid walking, provide postural stability or support, or assist in maintaining a good posture. Some designs also serve as a fashion accessory, or are used for self-defense. Walking s ...

planted by

Glastonbury Glastonbury (, ) is a town and civil parish in Somerset, England, situated at a dry point on the low-lying Somerset Levels, south of Bristol. The town, which is in the Mendip district, had a population of 8,932 in the 2011 census. Glastonb ...

Somerset ( en, All The People of Somerset) , locator_map = , coordinates = , region = South West England , established_date = Ancient , established_by = , preceded_by = , origin = , lord_lieutenant_office =Lord Lieutenant of Somerset , lor ...

, England. The original tree was destroyed in the sixteenth century during the English Reformation, but several cultivars have survived. Since the reign of

King James I James VI and I (James Charles Stuart; 19 June 1566 – 27 March 1625) was King of Scotland as James VI from 24 July 1567 and King of England and Ireland as James I from the union of the Scottish and English crowns on 24 March 1603 until hi ...

, it has been a

Christmas Christmas is an annual festival commemorating the birth of Jesus Christ, observed primarily on December 25 as a religious and cultural celebration among billions of people around the world. A feast central to the Christian liturgical year ...

custom to send a sprig of Glastonbury thorn flowers to the Sovereign, which is used to decorate the royal family's dinner table. In the

Victorian era In the history of the United Kingdom and the British Empire, the Victorian era was the period of Queen Victoria's reign, from 20 June 1837 until her death on 22 January 1901. The era followed the Georgian period and preceded the Edward ...

, the hawthorn represented

hope Hope is an optimistic state of mind that is based on an expectation of positive outcomes with respect to events and circumstances in one's life or the world at large. As a verb, its definitions include: "expect with confidence" and "to cherish ...

in the

language of flowers Floriography (language of flowers) is a means of cryptological communication through the use or arrangement of flowers. Meaning has been attributed to flowers for thousands of years, and some form of floriography has been practiced in tradition ...

. The hawthorn – species unspecified – is the

state flower This is a list of U.S. state, federal district, and territory flowers. See also *List of U.S. state trees *Lists of U.S. state insignia The following table displays the official flag, seal, and coat of arms of the 50 states, of the federa ...

. The legislation designating it as such was introduced by

Sarah Lucille Turner Sarah Lucille Turner, later known as Sarah Turner Jepson (March 28, 1898 – April 12, 1972), was a Missouri lawyer and politician who later went on to a career at ''Newsweek''. With Mellcene Thurman Smith, she was one of the first two women elec ...

, one of the first two women to serve in the

Missouri House of Representatives The Missouri House of Representatives is the lower chamber of the Missouri General Assembly. It has 163 members, representing districts with an average size of 37,000 residents. House members are elected for two-year terms during general elections ...

Propagation

Although it is commonly stated that hawthorns can be propagated by cutting, this is difficult to achieve with rootless stem pieces. Small plants or suckers are often transplanted from the wild. Seeds require

stratification Stratification may refer to: Mathematics * Stratification (mathematics), any consistent assignment of numbers to predicate symbols * Data stratification in statistics Earth sciences * Stable and unstable stratification * Stratification, or str ...

and take one or two years to germinate.Bailey, L.H.; Bailey, E.Z.; the staff of the Liberty Hyde Bailey Hortorium. 1976. ''Hortus third: A concise dictionary of plants cultivated in the United States and Canada''. Macmillan, New York. Seed germination is improved if the

that contain the seed are subjected to extensive drying at room temperature, before stratification.Bujarska-Borkowska, B. (2002) Breaking of seed dormancy, germination and seedling emergence of the common hawthorn (''Crataegus monogyna'' Jacq.). ''Dendrobiology''. 47(Supplement): 61–70.
Uncommon forms can be

grafted Grafting or graftage is a horticultural technique whereby tissues of plants are joined so as to continue their growth together. The upper part of the combined plant is called the scion () while the lower part is called the rootstock. The succ ...

onto seedlings of other species.

References

Additional reading

{{Authority control Rosaceae genera Medicinal plants Taxa named by Joseph Pitton de Tournefort Angiosperm genera Edible plants