Crataegus monogynaCommon hawthorn

It grows as a large shrub or small tree, often branched from low down. With age, it forms a broad, compact, rounded crown, with some slightly weeping branches. It can reach approximately 6 to 8 metres in height and 4 to 6 metres in spread.

The young shoots are reddish brown and carry stout thorns. The leaves are small, dark green and deeply cut into lobes, giving the crown a delicate texture. In autumn, the foliage takes on yellow tones before falling.

In spring, the tree is covered in flat inflorescences made up of numerous white flowers, with pinkish anthers and a characteristic fragrance. These are followed by haws, small red fruits produced in abundance, which extend the ornamental interest and are an important source of food for birds.

It is a species highly resistant to cold, wind and exposure, adapting to sun or partial shade and to different soil types, including relatively poor ground, provided it does not remain waterlogged. Its hardiness allows it to be used in parks, naturalistic gardens, defensive hedges, woodland edges, ecological corridors and landscape restoration projects.

Diaplant’s mature specimens turn this species, traditionally associated with hedges and scrub, into a true ornamental tree. The already formed crown, the defined trunk and the mature branching immediately bring structure, local identity and ecological value to the project.