Crataegus monogyna and C. laevigata (Common or One-seed and Midland Hawthorns)
Both hawthorns are present in Kent but C. monogyna is much more common (above).
The Woodland Trust is helpful in distinguishing the two:
Midland hawthorn (C. laevigata) tends to flower one to two weeks earlier than common hawthorn (C. monogyna). It has twin stigmas in the flowers and twin seeds in the haws. Midland hawthorn has shallowly lobed leaves - cut less than half way to the mid-rib. Whereas common hawthorn leaves are deeply lobed, cut more than half way to the mid-rib.
They both prefer more open aspects of woodand edges, meadows and field hedges.
Common hawthorn in hedges may indicate earlier ancient woodland cover. It is also quite thorny, which requires caution when picking any haws that nature leaves behind.
This is another chaotic tree form that grows up to 15 metres height over a long lifespan. The growth rate is very slow, so that modest-looking gnarled and pitted hawthorn you see in the wild may be anything up to 450 years old - more likely to be up to around 250 years old. Anything more that 1.25m girth is old because of their very low growth-rate.
Biodiversity value: HIGH
This is a long-lived tree that enjoys woodland, meadow edges, and open glades. Depending on who you talk to, some believe that hawthorns harbour fireblight, which then infect commercially grown apples - but this link is not proven.
Just about every part of the hawthorn is important - everything from May flowers, fruit, leaves, leaf litter and wood decay products. Both varieties are very important food sources in the landscape and tolerant of a wide range of conditions. Ideal for gardens too as they will tolerate pruning to control the chaotic habit. This tree is a real magnet for wildlife.
The leaves can support over 200 different leaf-chewing and sap sucking invertebrates. Within this figure there are 23 leaf-miners and 5 gall-formers. The majority of these insects are either macro or micro lepidoptera (butterflies and moths) - to find a comprehensive guide, visit the excellent Butterfly Conservation website. In short, like Blackthorns, you can never plant too many Hawthorns for their abundant and diverse contribution to the natural world.
Part of the renewal of Toll Wood must include reinforcement of this girdle of food-rich, light-loving and drought tolerant trees, along with elderflower, hazel, and sloe/blackthorn.
Leaf fall: Hawthorns generally lose their leaves in mid-season (October/Early November), depending on first frosts. With climate change extending warm periods, holding onto leaves for longer makes sense as a survival mechanism. But, potentially more extreme autumn storms leaves them vulnerable to wind-throw or damage to limbs if leaves remain too long. Hawthorns are generally hardy and resilient.
Propagation Options (see our summary of general techniques)
(1) Seed or Haw Collection - September-November - this is the commonest and easiest technique for propagation.
Mash the berries to remove the pulp, cleaning, and soaking overnight to soften the outer membrane. Place seeds in water; those that sink are viable. Sow immediately in pots of a mixture of compost, horticultural grit and leaf mould.
Long stratification (warm followed by cold periods) - leave in a coldframe for 18 months to two years. Be patient! Don't throw pots away if they don't germinate in one year! Protect from birds to avoid disappointment.
(2) Cuttings are notoriously difficult.
Ground layering - choose a low-growing branch, injure the bark slightly (scrape), bend and peg to the soil. Rooting may still take a couple of years. This retains any genetic features that appear important.
