Hawthorn Tree Care: How to Plant a Hawthorn Tree

Hawthorn trees (also called quickthorn, whitethorn, or thornapple) are sturdy deciduous trees with green, lobed leaves, pink or white flowers, and small edible pome fruits. Hawthorn trees hail from the Crataegus genus and are relatively small, typically only reaching about thirty feet in height.

Gardeners often use hawthorns as hedgerows in landscaping because they provide visual interest all year long in USDA Hardiness Zones 3–9, where they offer brilliant hawthorn flowers in spring, dense shade in summer, and vibrant fruits in fall and winter.

Historically, all hawthorn trees were labeled “common hawthorn trees” or Crataegus monogyna, but arborists have reclassified the trees into their own species and varieties in recent years. Some of the most common types of hawthorn trees for landscaping include:

1. 1. Cockspur (Crataegus crus-galli var. inermis): One of the hardiest hawthorn cultivars, the Cockspur hawthorn is thornless and has silvery bark.
2. 2. Downy (Crataegus mollis): One of the largest hawthorn varieties and common in meadows and thickets, Downy hawthorn trees have clusters of white flowers.
   
3. 3. English (Crataegus laevigata): Native to England, C. laevigata is a variety of small trees with bright red fruit. This cultivar also goes by the name Midland hawthorn.
4. 4. Green (Crataegus viridis): The green hawthorn has a crowning canopy, meaning that its branches reach outward in a crown shape.
5. 5. Washington (Crataegus phaenopyrum): The Washington hawthorn is a common cultivar in North America, with bright red or orange hawthorn fruits, vibrant fall colors, and small, sharp thorns.

The best time of year to plant hawthorn trees is early spring after the threat of frost has passed. Planting during this time frame gives the trees a full growing season to establish themselves in temperate regions before winter. Once it’s the right time to plant in your area, you can:

1. 1. Choose and prepare the spot: Hawthorn trees need full sun, so pick a planting spot that gets at least six hours of sunlight per day. The plant prefers well-draining soil rich with organic matter.
2. 2. Prepare the sapling: You don’t need to take extra measures to prepare the tree if you’re planting a hawthorn sapling in a container or ball-and-burlap (roots wrapped in burlap for safe transport). If, however, you’re planting a bare-root hawthorn tree, soak the roots in a bucket of water for up to six hours to give it a good drink.
3. 3. Dig the hole: The planting hole should be two to three times wider and deeper than the root ball of your hawthorn sapling to prevent the roots from bending back on themselves upon planting. Feel free to add a small amount of manure or compost to the hole (no more than ten percent of the soil volume), though it’s not necessary. If you’re planting multiple hawthorn trees, space the holes at least twenty feet apart to give the trees room as they mature.
4. 4. Place the roots in the hole: The soil line on the trunk should line up with the surface line of the hole. If your sapling is a ball-and-burlap tree, place it in the hole with the burlap intact to keep the rootstock secure while you position the tree, then tear the burlap down the sides of the hole and lift the tree to remove all of the wrapping.
5. 5. Spread the roots: Gently spread and position the roots without bending to encourage them to grow from the tree.
6. 6. Fill the hole: Fill the hole with soil and compost. As you fill, gently shake the trunk back and forth to help the soil permeate the root system. After filling the hole, firm the soil in with the toe of your shoe to give the tree a stable foundation without air pockets. Add a top layer of mulch around the tree to retain moisture and deter weeds. (Avoid touching the trunk since it can cause the wood to rot).
7. 7. Water the sapling: Thoroughly water the hawthorn tree to help it settle into its new home. Keep it well watered (about once a week) during the first growing season. After this period, the tree should only need extra water during particularly dry spells because it is drought-resistant.

Hawthorn plants are moderately low-maintenance trees and require the following care:

• Monitor for pests and disease: While hawthorn trees are generally low maintenance, they are susceptible to attacks from pests and disease. Watch for pests like aphids, scale, leaf borers, lace bugs, and caterpillars. If you spot any pests, blast them with a jet of water or apply an organic insecticide. As for disease, hawthorns are susceptible to fire blight, rust, leaf spot or leaf blight, powdery mildew, and cankers—monitor the tree for discoloration or strange growths and trim off infected growth or treat with fungicide. You can also choose pest- and disease-resistant varieties to prevent issues early on.
• Water during dry spells: Mature hawthorn trees are drought-tolerant and do not need much water apart from rain. Once the plant has established roots, you only need to water it during dry spells in the growing season.
• Prune occasionally: Hawthorn trees are dense growers and don’t require much pruning, but you can shape the tree in late winter or early spring, trimming off old or crooked branches and any suckers growing at the base. Be sure to wear gloves; hawthorns can grow long thorns.
• Fertilize annually: Hawthorn trees are not heavy feeders, so they don’t need much fertilizer to grow healthy every year. Fertilize the plants once a year in early spring to give them the nutrients they need.

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