Description

Hawthorn | Crataegus monogyna

Common names include, May flower, quickthorn.

For a single row of hedging, you will need 4 plants per metre; for a double row of hedging, you will need 6 plants per metre.

This fast-growing, deciduous native hedge plant is a popular sight in hedgerows and can also be grown as a small to medium sized tree.  Suitable for a wide range of soil types and conditions, hawthorn will thrive in most sites except for very shady areas or very wet soils.

Its sharp thorns are a distinctive feature, as are its scented white blossoms and green leaves in the spring, and its red fruits or “haws” in the autumn. 

Hawthorns are fast-growing – 40 to 60cm per year – and make an effective dense protective hedge around gardens and borders.  Their thorniness gives birds a safe place to nest and hawthorn supports an enormous variety of native bird and insect life.

Prune twice a year – in the summer after flowering and in the autumn.  For a more informal look, and to encourage wildlife, cut your hawthorn once, or every other year.

Our hawthorn whips are grown in the UK from UK origin seed.