- Hawthorn: flower, properties and origin
- Planting hawthorn: location, planting time and more
- The most important care measures
- Propagating Hawthorn
- Is hawthorn poisonous?
- Hawthorn: healing properties and uses of the fruit
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Whether as a hawthorn tree or as an ornamental hawthorn hedge - the diverse genus Crataegus finds a place in every garden. Find out everything about the properties, requirements and planting of hawthorns.
Hawthorns are a diverse tree or shrub that provide an important food source for insects, mammals and birds. We introduce you to the genus Crataegus and provide important information on planting, caring for and using hawthorns.
Hawthorn: flower, properties and origin
The hawthorn genus (Crataegus) includes around 1200 species, of which around 90 are in Eurasia and 1100 in North America. The name derives from the Greek "krataigos" which means "hard" or "solid" and probably refers to the wood of the hawthorn. All hawthorn species belong to the rose family (Rosaceae).
Depending on the species, the hawthorn grows as a tree or shrub with thorny shoots. The deep root system and the tough foliage allow the hawthorns to thrive even in heat, drought and low humidity. As far as the location is concerned, the rose plants are generally extremely adaptable and undemanding. The leaves of the hawthorn are simple, toothed or lobed and some develop a magnificent autumn color in bright yellow and orange tones. The white, pink, or red flowers of the hawthorn grow in clusters or in umbels.
The abundant nectar produced during the flowering period from May to June is extremely valuable for the local insect world. The fruits that ripen from September are often referred to as "hawthorn berries", but like apples (Malus) belong to the pome fruit and form so-called follicles. The rich fruit of the hawthorns serves as food for birds and mammals during the cold season. You can get an overview of the most well-known types of hawthorn in our special article.
Planting hawthorn: location, planting time and more
The great variety of hawthorn species naturally also means a wide range of needs. However, the following applies to the hawthorn species that can be cultivated herefollowing site requirements: Hawthorn bushes or small trees are adaptable and tolerate many types of soil and locations. They prefer moderately heavy, nutrient-rich, calcareous and deep, dry to fresh soil. Poor, drier and stony locations in sunny to partially shaded locations are also tolerated. When choosing plants, it should be noted that older and larger hawthorns grow poorly. Although tall hawthorn trees are often offered, they rarely thrive well after transplanting and only very slowly develop an adequate root system. With an annual growth of 25 to 30 cm, even small transplanted shrubs develop quickly and form a stately shrub over the years.
The ideal planting time for hawthorns is in late autumn between October and the end of November and in early spring before the leaves sprout in March. If the hawthorn is placed in a solitary position, a distance of two to three meters should be maintained on all sides. If you plant hawthorn as a hedge, the planting distance is significantly smaller at 40 to 60 cm, so that a dense bush develops. In near-natural flowering hedges, however, the distance can also be significantly larger. Once the right location for the hawthorn has been selected, planting begins:
- Dig a large planting hole, at least 1.5 times the size of the root ball.
- Improve the excavated soil with some ripe compost or Plantura organic soil activator, mix both well.
- Place the hawthorn in the planting hole, fill with soil mixture and press down firmly.
- Form the pouring rim and water the hawthorn well.
- In the case of tall trees, a stable tree connection consisting of at least two tree posts must be set. This is to prevent tipping over and to stabilize the bale in the ground. This way the hawthorn will grow better.
The most important care measures
Hawthorns are generally low-maintenance shrubs, but they too benefit from a little attention.
Fertilize and water hawthorn
Hawthorns have a low to medium nutrient requirement. A dose of mature compost or predominantly organic long-term fertilizer applied in spring, such as our Plantura organic universal fertilizer, is usually sufficient for the whole year. Nutrients should be added separately on lean sites and after heavy pruning.
You no longer have to water well-established hawthorns, only the freshly planted bushesshould be watered regularly for the first few weeks and during the first summer.
Pruning Hawthorn
Hawthorns are very tolerant of pruning, they recover quickly even from heavy pruning and reliably sprout when fresh. Therefore, they can also be kept in good shape and trimmed in height and width without causing long-term damage to the plants. The robust plants can also be grown as hawthorn bonsai. You don't necessarily have to cut hawthorns in hedges or individually if there is enough space.
Diseases and Pests
Similar to the apple and pear (Pyrus communis), the related hawthorns can also be attacked by numerous fruit tree diseases. These include fire blight, which must be reported and is life-threatening for the plant (Erwinia amylovora), fruit tree canker (Neonectria galligena), powdery mildew ( Erysiphaceae), rust and leaf spot by Septoria. Aphids (Aphidoidea), spider moths (Yponomeutidae), the cherry sawfly (Caliroa cerasi), blue sieve (Zeuzera pyrina) and hawthorn gall midge (Dasineura crataegi) observed.
Propagating Hawthorn
Hawthorns can be propagated by seeds, cuttings and layering.
For propagation via seeds the kernels from the fruits can be used. The edible hawthorn fruits usually have one to three seeds, which have to be washed out and separated from the pulp immediately after harvesting. As cold germs, they need a week-long cold period, which breaks down the seed dormancy of the hawthorns. If you sow the seeds in the garden in November or December there is a good chance they will germinate next spring.
About 10 cm long Cuttings cut off the fresh, soft shoots in summer. Now remove all the leaves except for the tip and plant them deep in nutrient-poor potting soil, half of which has been supplemented with sand. The cuttings are placed in light and at 15 to 20 °C and should always be kept well moist over the next few weeks.
Propagation true to the variety works best with lowers. For this purpose, a leafless shoot is brought to the ground in autumn and fixed underground with the help of a wire, for example. Only the tip of the shoot sticks out, while new roots form along the buried shoot. in thefollowing autumn, enough roots have formed and the shoot can be separated from the mother plant and replanted. Hawthorns can also reproduce by themselves in this way. But if you want another plant soon, you can speed up the process this way.
Is hawthorn poisonous?
Hawthorns are not poisonous, their leaves, flowers and fruits are used in folk medicine. Hawthorn fruits are edible raw and pose no risk to humans or animals.
Hawthorn: healing properties and uses of the fruit
The hawthorn fruit harvest season begins between September and October, depending on the species. The ripe, then mostly floury fruits can usually be harvested until December. Birds and small mammals use the numerous fruits as winter food. The easiest way to cut them off is with pruning shears as a bunch that sits together. The taste of hawthorn fruits is - at least in our native species - mostly sweet, bland and mealy. They were therefore often only consumed in times of need and are otherwise used in herbal medicine.
Large-fruited and tasty species, such as the Azarol Thorn (Crataegus azarolus), are best suited for harvesting and processing. The apple-like, sweet and sour-tasting fruits can be candied or made into juice and jam. Baked goods, sweet cider and hawthorn schnapps are also made from the fruit. In folk medicine, hawthorn tea or tinctures made from dried leaves, flowers and fruits are administered for cardiovascular problems. The contained flavonoids and procyanins are important components of hawthorn for conventional medicine. In the form of tablets, capsules or juice from the fruit, hawthorn can lower blood pressure, promote blood flow to the heart muscle and alleviate symptoms associated with the onset of heart failure, such as tachycardia.
Another important fruit tree for wild hedges is the sloe (Prunus spinosa). We introduce you to the thorny large shrub and give tips on planting, harvesting and using sloe fruits.