''Crataegus monogyna'', known as common hawthorn, one-seed hawthorn, or single-seeded hawthorn, is a species of
flowering plant
Flowering plants are plants that bear flowers and fruits, and form the clade Angiospermae (), commonly called angiosperms. The term "angiosperm" is derived from the Greek words ('container, vessel') and ('seed'), and refers to those plants th ...
in the rose family
Rosaceae. It is native to Europe, northwestern Africa, and
West Asia
Western Asia, West Asia, or Southwest Asia, is the westernmost subregion of the larger geographical region of Asia, as defined by some academics, UN bodies and other institutions. It is almost entirely a part of the Middle East, and includes Ana ...
, but has been introduced in many other parts of the world.
Names
This species is one of several that have been referred to as ''
Crataegus oxyacantha'', a name that has been rejected by the botanical community as too ambiguous. In 1793,
Medikus published the name ''C. apiifolia'' for a European hawthorn now included in ''C. monogyna,'' but that name is
illegitimate
Legitimacy, in traditional Western common law, is the status of a child born to parents who are legally married to each other, and of a child conceived before the parents obtain a legal divorce. Conversely, ''illegitimacy'', also known as '' ...
under the rules of
botanical nomenclature.
Other common names include may, mayblossom, maythorn, (as the plant generally flowers in
May in the English-speaking parts of Europe) quickthorn, whitethorn, motherdie, and haw.
Description
The common hawthorn is a
shrub or small
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 ...
up to about tall,
with a dense crown. The
bark is dull brown with vertical orange cracks. The younger stems bear sharp thorns, about long. The
leaves are long,
obovate
The following is a list of terms which are used to describe leaf morphology in the description and taxonomy of plants. Leaves may be simple (a single leaf blade or lamina) or compound (with several leaflets). The edge of the leaf may be regular ...
, and deeply lobed, sometimes almost to the midrib, with the lobes spreading at a wide angle. The upper surface is dark green above and paler underneath.
The
hermaphrodite 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 mechani ...
s are produced in late spring (May to early June in its native area) in
corymb
Corymb is a botanical term for an inflorescence with the flowers growing in such a fashion that the outermost are borne on longer pedicels than the inner, bringing all flowers up to a common level. A corymb has a flattish top with a superficial ...
s of 5–25 together; each flower is about 10 mm in diameter and has five white petals, numerous red stamens and a single style; they are moderately fragrant. The flowers are pollinated by
midges, bees, and other insects, and later in the year bear numerous haws. The haw is a small, oval, dark red
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 particu ...
about 10 mm long,
berry-like, but structurally a
pome containing a single
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 angiospe ...
. 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 ...
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 flyca ...
and
waxwings; 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 angiospe ...
s in their droppings.
The common hawthorn is distinguished from the related but less widespread
Midland hawthorn
''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 ...
(''C. laevigata'') by its more upright growth, the leaves being deeply lobed, with spreading lobes, and in the flowers having just one style, not two or three. They are interfertile, however, so hybrids occur frequently; they are only entirely distinct in their more typical forms.
File:(MHNT) Crataegus monogyna - flowers and buds.jpg, Flowers
File:Eenstijlige meidoorn (Crataegus monogyna branch).jpg
File:Hawthorn fruit.JPG, Fruit (haws)
File:Pink and brown (4627395373).jpg, Close-up
File:Hawthorn St Mars.jpg, Bole of ancient specimen at Saint-Mars-sur-la-Futaie
Saint-Mars-sur-la-Futaie is a commune in the Mayenne department in north-western France. It is notable as the site of the oldest known tree in France, a Hawthorn
Hawthorn or Hawthorns may refer to:
Plants
* '' Crataegus'' (hawthorn), a larg ...
, France
File:Hawthorn St Mars 2.jpg, General view of the Saint-Mars tree
File:The Holy Thorn, Glastonbury Abbey - geograph.org.uk - 217631.jpg, Replacement of the Glastonbury or Holy Thorn cut down by vandals in 2010
File:Hethel Thorn, Hethel - geograph.org.uk - 44746.jpg, The Hethel
Hethel is a small village in Norfolk, England, approximately southeast of the market town of Wymondham, and approximately south of the city of Norwich.
According to the 2001 census, the Bracon Ash and Hethel parish covered an area of and ha ...
Old Thorn
File:Joncret AR1cJPG.jpg, , Belgium
Belgium, ; french: Belgique ; german: Belgien officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a country in Northwestern Europe. The country is bordered by the Netherlands to the north, Germany to the east, Luxembourg to the southeast, France to th ...
File:Crataegus monogyna (subsp. monogyna) sl30.jpg, Fruit containing a seed
Uses
Food
The fruit of hawthorn, called haws, are edible raw, but are commonly made into jellies, jams, syrups, or wine, or to add flavour to brandy. Botanically, they are
pomes
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, and re ...
, but they look similar to berries. A haw is small and oblong, similar in size and shape to a small olive or grape, and red when ripe. The haws develop in groups of two or three along smaller branches. They are pulpy and delicate in taste. In this species (''C. monogyna''), they have only one seed, but other species of hawthorn may have up to five seeds.
The petals are also edible, as are the leaves, which if picked in spring when still young are tender enough to be used in salads. Hawthorn petals are used in the medieval English recipe for spinee, an
almond milk
Almond milk is a plant-based milk with a watery texture and nutty flavor manufactured from almonds, although some types or brands are flavored in imitation of cow's milk. It does not contain cholesterol or lactose and is low in saturated fat. ...
-based
pottage
Pottage or potage (, ; ) is a term for a thick soup or stew made by boiling vegetables, grains, and, if available, meat or fish. It was a staple food for many centuries. The word ''pottage'' comes from the same Old French root as ''potage'', whi ...
recorded in '
The Forme of Cury
''The Forme of Cury'' (''The Method of Cooking'', from Middle French : 'to cook') is an extensive 14th-century collection of medieval English recipes. Although the original manuscript is lost, the text appears in nine manuscripts, the most fa ...
' by the Chief Master-Cook of King
Richard II, .
Medicine
''C. monogyna'' is one of the most common species used as the "hawthorn" of traditional
herbalism
Herbal medicine (also herbalism) is the study of pharmacognosy and the use of medicinal plants, which are a basis of traditional medicine. With worldwide research into pharmacology, some herbal medicines have been translated into modern reme ...
. The plant parts used are usually sprigs with both leaves and flowers, or alternatively the fruit ("berries").
Hawthorn has been investigated by
evidence-based medicine for treating cardiac insufficiency.
''C. monogyna'' is a source of
antioxidant phytochemicals
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 ...
, especially extracts of hawthorn leaves with flowers.
Gardening and agriculture
Common hawthorn is extensively planted as a
hedge plant, especially for
agricultural use. Its spines and close branching habit render it effectively livestock- and human-proof, with some basic maintenance. The traditional practice of
hedge laying
Hedgelaying (or hedge laying) is a countryside skill that has been practised for centuries, mainly in the United Kingdom and Ireland, with many regional variations in style and technique. Hedgelaying is the process of partially cutting throug ...
is most commonly practised with this species. It is a good
fire wood, which burns with a good heat and little smoke.
Numerous
hybrids exist, some of which are used as garden shrubs. The most widely used hybrid is ''
C. × media'' (''C. monogyna'' × ''C. laevigata''), of which 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 are known, including the very popular 'Paul's Scarlet' with dark pink double flowers. Other garden shrubs that have sometimes been suggested as possible hybrids involving the common hawthorn, include the
various-leaved hawthorn of the
Caucasus
The Caucasus () or Caucasia (), is a region between the Black Sea and the Caspian Sea, mainly comprising Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia (country), Georgia, and parts of Southern Russia. The Caucasus Mountains, including the Greater Caucasus range ...
, which is only very occasionally found in parks and gardens.
Culture
In pre-modern Europe, hawthorn was used as a symbol of hope, and also as a charm against
witchcraft
Witchcraft traditionally means the use of magic or supernatural powers to harm others. A practitioner is a witch. In medieval and early modern Europe, where the term originated, accused witches were usually women who were believed to have ...
and
vampire
A vampire is a mythical creature that subsists by feeding on the vital essence (generally in the form of blood) of the living. In European folklore, vampires are undead creatures that often visited loved ones and caused mischief or deat ...
s. Hawthorn was believed by some to have the ability to inhibit intruding
supernatural forces, and was also thought to be sacred in nature due to an association between the hawthorn bush and the
crown of thorns
According to the New Testament, a woven crown of thorns ( or grc, ἀκάνθινος στέφανος, akanthinos stephanos, label=none) was placed on the head of Jesus during the events leading up to his crucifixion. It was one of the in ...
that, according to the
New Testament
The New Testament grc, Ἡ Καινὴ Διαθήκη, transl. ; la, Novum Testamentum. (NT) is the second division of the Christian biblical canon. It discusses the teachings and person of Jesus, as well as events in first-century Chri ...
, was placed on
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 ...
.
As protection against witchcraft, hawthorn was sometimes placed in the cradles of infants, or around houses and doorways. The Greeks reportedly placed pieces of hawthorn in
casement windows to prevent witches from entering houses, while
Bohemians placed hawthorn on the thresholds of
cow houses for the same purpose. Hawthorn was sometimes placed on the coffin of a deceased person, on top of the person's corpse, or in the corpse's sock. In Bosnia, women would sometimes place a piece of hawthorn behind the headcloth of a recently deceased person, and then throw away the remaining twig on their way home. If the deceased person was a vampire, it would focus its attention on the hawthorn instead of following the woman home. Among the
South Slavs
South Slavs are Slavic peoples who speak South Slavic languages and inhabit a contiguous region of Southeast Europe comprising the eastern Alps and the Balkan Peninsula. Geographically separated from the West Slavs and East Slavs by Austria, ...
, stakes made of hawthorn or
blackthorn
''Prunus spinosa'', called blackthorn or sloe, is a species of flowering plant in the rose family Rosaceae. The species is native to Europe, western Asia, and regionally in northwest Africa. It is locally naturalized in New Zealand, Tasmania, ...
wood were considered effective in impaling vampires.
Notable trees
An ancient specimen, and reputedly the oldest tree of any species in France, is to be found alongside the church at
Saint Mars sur la Futaie,
Mayenne
Mayenne () is a landlocked department in northwest France named after the river Mayenne. Mayenne is part of the administrative region of Pays de la Loire and is surrounded by the departments of Manche, Orne, Sarthe, Maine-et-Loire, and Ill ...
. As of 2009, the tree had a height of and a girth of . The inscription on the plaque beneath reads: "This hawthorn is probably the oldest tree in France. Its origin goes back to
St Julien (third century)"; such claims are impossible to verify.
A famous specimen in England was the
Glastonbury or Holy Thorn which, according to legend, sprouted from 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 ...
after he thrust it into the ground while visiting Glastonbury in the first century AD. The tree was noteworthy because it flowered twice in a year, once in the late spring which is normal, but also once after the harshness of midwinter had passed. The original tree at Glastonbury Abbey, felled in the 1640s during the
English Civil War
The English Civil War (1642–1651) was a series of civil wars and political machinations between Parliamentarians (" Roundheads") and Royalists led by Charles I ("Cavaliers"), mainly over the manner of England's governance and issues of re ...
,
has been propagated as the cultivar 'Biflora'.
[Phipps, J.B.; O’Kennon, R.J.; Lance, R.W. 2003. ''Hawthorns and medlars''. Royal Horticultural Society, Cambridge, U.K.] A replacement was planted by the local council in 1951, but was cut down by vandals in 2010.
The oldest known living specimen in
East Anglia, and possibly in the United Kingdom, is known as the
Hethel Old Thorn,
and is located in the churchyard in the small village of
Hethel
Hethel is a small village in Norfolk, England, approximately southeast of the market town of Wymondham, and approximately south of the city of Norwich.
According to the 2001 census, the Bracon Ash and Hethel parish covered an area of and ha ...
, south of Norwich, in Norfolk, UK. It is reputed to be more than 700 years old, having been planted in the 13th century.
See also
* The hawthorn button-top gall on hawthorn is caused by the dipteran gall-midge ''
Dasineura crataegi''.
*
Folklore
Folklore is shared by a particular group of people; it encompasses the traditions common to that culture, subculture or group. This includes oral traditions such as tales, legends, proverbs and jokes. They include material culture, ranging ...
about hawthorns, primarily the European species ''C. laevigata'' and/or ''C. monogyna'' and hybrids between the two
*
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 ha ...
*
List of Lepidoptera that feed on hawthorns
References
Further reading
*
External links
* Philips, R. (1978)
''Trees of North America and Europe''. New York: Random House. .
* Kheloufi, A., Mansouri, L. M., & Vanbellinghen, C. (2019)
"Seed germination of ''Crataegus monogyna''—a species with a stony endocarp" ''Reforesta'' (7), 73–80.
* Bahorun, Theeshan, et al. (2003)
"Phenolic constituents and antioxidant capacities of ''Crataegus monogyna'' (Hawthorn) callus extracts" ''Food/Nahrung'' 47.3 (2003): 191–198.
(photographs of a number of such trees, including Hethel Old Thorn)
*
''Crataegus monogyna'' at Flora Iberica
{{Taxonbar, from=Q161511
monogyna
Flora of North Africa
Flora of Western Asia
Trees of Europe
Trees of Mediterranean climate
Trees of Asia
Garden plants of Europe
Garden plants of Asia
Medicinal plants of Africa
Medicinal plants of Asia
Medicinal plants of Europe
Ornamental trees
Taxa named by Nikolaus Joseph von Jacquin