How long do hawthorn trees live

Across Britain there was the belief that bringing hawthorn blossom into the house would lead to illness and death.

Adults would scold hapless children for innocently decorating the home with the flowers. Medieval folk also asserted that the smell of hawthorn blossom was just like the smell of the Great Plague in London. Botanists later discovered the reason for this. The chemical trimethylamine present in hawthorn blossom is also formed in decaying animal tissue. In the past, when corpses were in the house for several days before burial, people would have been very familiar with the smell of death.

So it is hardly surprising that hawthorn blossom was so unwelcome in the house. It is possible that some hawthorn folklore may have originated for the related Midland hawthorn.

The latter tree may well have been commoner during the early Middle Ages. Midland hawthorn blossom gives off much more of an unpleasant scent of death soon after it is cut.

It also blooms slightly earlier than hawthorn. Its blossoms would therefore have been more reliably available for May Day celebrations. In spite of the above taboo, the leaves were eaten and were commonly referred to as bread and cheese. People used the blossom and berries to make wines and jellies. Decoctions of the flowers and leaves were also used to stabilise blood pressure. The strong, close-grained wood is good for carving and people used it for making tool handles and other small household items.

Probably its greatest practical use to people has been as hedging. With him were a few disciples and two sacred vessels containing the blood and sweat of Jesus. Where he thrust his staff into the ground it sprouted and grew into a thorn tree. Though the original is obviously not there any more, one of its supposed descendants does still stand on the hill. Other offspring grown from cuttings can be found around Glastonbury and further afield.

This particular hawthorn blooms twice a year, once in May and again around Christmas. Then, put the tree in the hole with the root ball slightly higher than the groundline. Place a loose layer of soil around the top and gently pat it down. You can also add a layer of mulch to prevent weeds and help retain moisture. Next, water the tree thoroughly. Continue to water the tree regularly throughout the first growing season. If you live in an extremely windy area, it is recommended to stake the tree up.

This helps the young branches grow straight and stay healthy in strong winds. Here is a tree staking kit specifically designed for young trees. It protects your sapling from strong winds and ensures straight growth. Click here to view it on Amazon. Make sure to plant your hawthorn tree in spring or fall to avoid extreme heat or cold. If planting in spring, wait two weeks after the last frost.

If planting in fall, make sure to plant it before the first frost of the season. Hawthorn trees are generally low-maintenance trees that can survive a wide range of conditions.

Hawthorn trees like plenty of sun. They need full sun for optimal growth. Average, well-draining soil is what hawthorn trees prefer. After you plant a small hawthorn tree, make sure to water it well. You can add a thick layer of mulch around the base to prevent evaporation and retain moisture.

During the first growing season, water the tree regularly and deeply. If its root system is established correctly, you may not need to water it at all. If you want to know about other plants that need little water, check out this blog post: 37 Outdoor Plants That Need Little Water. Healthy hawthorn trees do not regularly require pruning for optimal growth.

If you want to prune your tree, make sure to do it sparingly. Over pruning can stimulate plant sucker growth or make your tree look barren. However, if you notice a dead or disease-ridden branch, you should remove it immediately.

Hawthorn trees are susceptible to many diseases and pests, so make sure to inspect your trees regularly. Some common diseases are fire blight, apple scab, powdery mildew, and leaf blight.

A few pests you may find in your hawthorn tree are lace bugs, aphids, and mites. This article is a complete guide to the most common hawthorn trees growing in garden landscapes.

Pictures and descriptions of these flowering trees will help you decide on the best ones for your front or backyard. Hawthorns are flowering deciduous trees with small red fruits. Hawthorn trees are classed as small ornamental trees native to temperate regions in North America and Europe. Depending on the species, hawthorns grow between 15 and 35 ft.

The trees are characterized by their spreading rounded crowns, profusion of flower clusters, and tart fruit. Hawthorn trees are relatively slow-growing trees that live between 50 and years. The attractive deciduous trees grow in wet soil and thrive in USDA zones 5 through 7. However, some species are cold-hardier. Hawthorns are often grown as specimen lawn trees or street trees. Hawthorn leaves are generally identified by deeply lobed leaves that are darker green on the upper side and pale green on the underside.

Pictures of hawthorn leaves show fine tooth-like serrations on the lobed margins. Hawthorn tree leaf shape is generally ovoid, ovate, or wedge-shaped. Even when growing in warm regions such as Louisiana, Georgia, and Texas, hawthorn trees drop their leaves before winter. In fall, the dense deciduous foliage turns warm yellow and orange colors.

Hawthorn flowers are mostly white, but some species have pink flowers. Hawthorn tree flowers bloom in mid to late spring, providing magnificent floral displays.

Each single hawthorn flower has five petals and emits an intense, musky scent. Depending on the hawthorn species, the flower cluster can be rose or pinkish-red colors. For example, flowers on the Cockspur Hawthorn Crataegus crus-galli and Black Hawthorn Crataegus douglasii are various shades of pink. But most hawthorn trees produce white flowers.

Hawthorn trees produce berry-like fruits that have tart taste. Fruit from hawthorn trees looks like clusters of small, rounded berry-like fruits that appear from fall until winter. Hawthorn fruits have thick red skin covering creamy-yellow flesh. The fleshy, tangy fruit has between one and five stones in the middle, resembling small peach or apricot stones. Hawthorn fruits grow between 0. The fruits are edible; however, hawthorn fruit including may haws are notoriously sour and too tangy for most people.

Hawthorn jams and jellies such as mayhaw jelly are the most common way to consume these fruits. Although hawthorn fruit is more like a pome fruit, they are generally referred to as berries. This is because the small round fruits grow in clusters like many types of berries do.

Depending on the Crataegus species, the fruit can be red, yellow, blue, or orange-yellow. Examples of hawthorn bark. Hawthorn bark looks gray and usually has shallow fissures and narrow ridges running vertically.

You can identify young hawthorn trees by the smooth, gray bark. As hawthorn matures, its bark looks like dark shades of brown that has a rough, fissured texture. Another way to identify hawthorn trees is by their thorny branches. Damage from hawthorn thorns can result in bleeding, bacterial infections, or allergic reactions. Hawthorn species are generally identified by their broadly ovate green lobed leaves, showy clusters of spring flowers, and dangling clusters of small berry-like fruits.

Hawthorns are also known for their spreading rounded to conical crown. The common hawthorn is a small, thorny tree with lobed green leaves, white flowers growing in corymbs, and small red fruits. Also called the may blossom, the common hawthorn is a flowering shrub-like tree that grows between 15 and 45 ft.

Common hawthorn trees thrive in USDA zones 5 through 7. The common hawthorn is also known for its thorny branches. Some thorns emerge from the flower buds, and others appear at the end of the shoot.

You can also tell this hawthorn species by its grayish thorny bark with thin, vertical fissures. The common hawthorn Crataegus monogyna grows best in full sun or partial shade and moist, well-drained soil. Other names for the native European common hawthorn include single-seed hawthorn, hedgerow thorn, quickthorn, and maythorn. Hawthorn Flowers: The common hawthorn blooms with masses of creamy-white flowers with dainty pink anthers. When blooming in late spring, the flat white sprays cover most of the branches.