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Common hawthorn flowers

Hawthorn

Hawthorns create natural and almost perfectly impenetrable barriers. The thorns of this classic and widespread hedgerow plant have proved too much for animals and humans alike for centuries. However, if left uncut they grow into strong trees of up to 14 metres tall. Also widely known as May or May-trees, hawthorns are steeped in tradition, and their masses of white, scented flowers are linked to the May Day festival. The flowers go on to produce red, berry-like fruits, or haws, that attract birds. The haws can also be made into some pretty fine jams, jellies and wines.

Scientific name: Crataegus monogyna

Rank: Species

Common names:

  • Common hawthorn,
  • Haw,
  • May-tree,
  • Mayblossom,
  • Maythorn

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Distribution

The Hawthorn can be found in a number of locations including: Africa, Asia, Europe, Russia, United Kingdom, Wales. Find out more about these places and what else lives there.

Habitats

The following habitats are found across the Hawthorn distribution range. Find out more about these environments, what it takes to live there and what else inhabits them.

Behaviours

Discover what these behaviours are and how different plants and animals use them.

Additional data source: Animal Diversity Web

About

Crataegus monogyna, known as common hawthorn or single-seeded hawthorn, is a species of hawthorn native to Europe, northwest Africa and western Asia. It has been introduced in many other parts of the world where it is an invasive weed. Other common names include may, mayblossom, maythorn, quickthorn, whitethorn, motherdie, and haw. This species is one of several that have been referred to as Crataegus oxyacantha, a name that has been rejected by the botanical community as too ambiguous.

Read more at Wikipedia

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Classification

  1. Life
  2. Plants
  3. Flowering plants
  4. Dicotyledons
  5. Rosales
  6. Rose family
  7. Crataegus
  8. Hawthorn

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