Crataegus laevigata Seeds | Hawthorn Berry Tree
LATIN NAME: Crataegus laevigata
COMMON NAME: Hawthorn
Plant Profile
Known to gardeners as Hawthorn, Crataegus laevigata is a tree in the rose family (Rosaceae). Hawthorn is a sturdy, flowering tree of old hedgerows and chalk hills, one of the most loved of the native trees. Dense, thorny tree carries small, lobed, glossy leaves and clouds of small, white flowers with fine, hawthorn scent through late spring, to be followed by clusters of small, bright-red berries that hang on into the winter. Tree is one of fine, tough, long-lived trees of countryside, and dense, thorny growth has hedged fields for centuries. Taken as a whole, it is a plant that repays a little attention many times over.
Science & Biotechnology
Research touching on Crataegus laevigata ranges from the botany of the rose family to practical horticulture, including seed handling, propagation and the selection of superior forms. Hawthorn keeps turning up in plant science, studied for small, lobed, glossy leaves and clusters of small, bright-red berries. From a research perspective, species of this kind are valuable material for work on propagation and on the selection of uniform lines.
Uses & Benefits
Hawthorn works well in borders, containers and dedicated beds. Hawthorn has earned its keep in garden and countryside for a very long time. Berries have a long record of use in old practice and in jams and jellies of countryside, and dense, thorny growth makes a fine, impenetrable hedge of the boundary. It has been written up in horticultural and botanical papers for spring flower show and old uses of berries, and it is a fine, long-lived tree of open, sunny, well-drained garden. Given the right start, it carries on with minimal intervention.
Midland hawthorn shares the European heart-herb tradition of its monogyna sister, and its double-flowered garden forms are beloved ornamentals.
Growing from Seed
Hawthorn grows readily from seed. Use a fine, free-draining seed compost, scatter the seed evenly, cover it lightly and hold it just moist in good light. Move strong seedlings into individual pots, keep them in good light, and set them out when the weather and their size agree.
Our Take
Part of this plant’s appeal is the long practical history summarized above. Hawthorn settles in quickly once it finds its footing. In a sunny, freely drained position it needs little looking after.
Related Reading
If Hawthorn appeals to you, these related plants are worth a look: