English Hawthorn

General: Small, thorny, deciduous tree or shrub in the Rose family.

Flowers: Small white, sometimes pink flowers are grouped in umbrella-like clusters of 10-20. The flowers resemble cherry or apple blossoms. Each flower has 5 – 25 stamens with pink-purple anthers that extend past the petals, and one style.

Stem: Mature plants are 2 – 9 m tall. The stems usually branch from a single trunk. The bark is smooth, pale, and grey; new shoots are reddish. English hawthorn branches are covered with long thorns.

Leaves: Deeply cleft leaves with 3 – 7 lobes. The leaves resemble mittens and have a leathery texture. They are typically 2 – 5 cm long.

Fruit: One-seeded round fruits are bright to deep red. The fruits only develop on mature plants (10 years or older), and last on the plant late into winter.

Roots: Taproot.

English hawthorn is native to West Asia, Europe, and Northern Africa, where it was used to create hedgerows to contain livestock. It was introduced in the 1800s to Oregon and southern Washington, where it began spreading across North America.

English hawthorn grows in lowland areas in many soil types but grows best in moist soil or areas with high precipitation. Mature plants are drought and somewhat shade-tolerant. English hawthorn is found in woodlands, pastures, riparian areas, grasslands, and meadows. It thrives best in deeper soils.

English hawthorn reproduces both by seed and vegetatively. Each tree can produce 2,000 berries, and the seeds germinate in spring. English hawthorn can also regenerate from cuttings. An individual plant can live up to 250 years, giving it ample opportunity to spread.

English hawthorn can spread locally by vegetative reproduction through cuttings, but long-distance dispersal occurs through the transport of seeds. The fruits are highly favourable to birds that consume and transport them great distances. They are primarily dispersed by the American Robin but can also be spread by other animals.