English Hawthorn

Native:

Black Hawthorn (or Douglas’ Hawthorn, Crataegus douglasii) has weakly lobed leaves, flowers with five styles instead of one, and blackish fruits.

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.

English Hawthorn is NOT currently found throughout the Sea to Sky Corridor, so the best approach to controlling its spread is by PREVENTION.

Learn to identify English Hawthorn: Use the images presented in this profile page to learn how to identify English Hawthorn.

What to do if you spot it: You can report any English Hawthorn sighting by clicking here.

 

DO:

• Ensure soil and gravel are uncontaminated before transport.
• Ensure plants are disposed of in a garbage bag if found in floral arrangements to prevent seeds from spreading.
• Remove plant material from any equipment, vehicles, or clothing used in infested areas and wash equipment and vehicles at designated cleaning sites before leaving infested areas.

 

DO NOT:

• Do not plant English Hawthorn in a garden, no matter how well-contained its enclosure may seem.
• Do not move soil that has been contaminated with English Hawthorn.
• Do not compost!

 

Control

Mechanical

• Seedlings and young saplings can be pulled or dug up by hand.
• It is easier to pull roots up when the soil is moist. However, it can be difficult even with young saplings, since the roots are deep and the stems have sharp thorns.
• Be sure to wear gloves and other protective clothing.
• Avoid cutting the plant when it is fruiting, as this will help disperse the seeds.
• Remove all cuttings from the site, as English Hawthorn can regenerate from cuttings.
• Roots are also able to resprout if not removed completely.

Chemical

• Applying a chemical herbicide to cut stumps and the frilling method are the most effective for plants that cannot be manually removed.
• Foliar herbicide treatment may also be effective, though caution should be exercised to avoid spraying desirable vegetation, as always.

We recommend that any herbicide application is carried out by a person holding a valid BC Pesticide Applicator Certificate. Before selecting and applying herbicides, you must review and follow herbicide labels and application rates; municipal, regional, provincial and federal laws and regulations; species-specific treatment recommendations, and site-specific goals and objectives.

Biological

• There are no approved biological control agents available for English Hawthorn. Its spines typically deter grazing.