Hawthorn trees
Flowering hawthorn trees, or Crataegus to use its Latin name, are popular for their abundance of spring flowers, colourful berries and autumn foliage colour. Hawthorn makes a popular specimen tree for the middle of a lawn, as well as its use as a strong, intruder-proof hedge. Hawthorns produce clusters of white, pink or red flowers in May and June when in leaf, with some varieties possessing distinctive, deeply lobed foliage. The flowers are followed by red-orange berries (haws) in autumn. It has slender stems covered in thorns with deciduous foliage that takes on brilliant shades of yellow, orange and red before falling to the ground at the end of autumn. Also known as Maythorn, Quickthorn, Thornapple or Hawberry, Hawthorn trees provide a great haven for wildlife, particularly as their thorny stems provide a protected zone for birds and small mammals. The flowers are a good source of nectar for bees and beneficial insects and the fruits provide food for birds such as thrushes and waxwings. Hawthorn trees are tough, fully hardy, easy to grow and unfussy about soil type or situation. Hawthorn Paul’s Scarlet is a popular double red variety whilst Hawthorn Rosea Flore Pleno is a beautiful double pink and Hawthorn Plena the best white-flowering variety available.