Side by side
Hawthorn or Midland hawthorn? How to tell them apart
Crataegus monogyna · Crataegus laevigata
You can tell a common hawthorn by its deeply cut leaf with 3–7 lobes and its berries with a single stone; a Midland hawthorn has shallowly lobed, glossy leaves with rounded lobes and berries with two or three stones.
Look at how deep the cuts in the leaf go: almost to the midrib on the common hawthorn, shallow, with broad, rounded lobes on the Midland hawthorn. Cut a berry open and count the stones. Hybrids between the two are common, with intermediate forms.
_Crataegus_monogyna_-_flowers_and_buds.jpg){kind=link}
| Hawthorn | Midland hawthorn | |
|---|---|---|
| Leaves | Alternate, small (2–5 cm), deeply cut into 3–7 lobes. | Alternate, 2–5 cm, obovate with 3–5 shallow, rounded and finely toothed lobes; glossy dark green. |
| Flowering | Clusters of white, strongly scented flowers in May (May). | Clusters of white flowers with 2–3 styles, in April–May (May). |
| Fruit | Red berries with a single stone (hence monogyna, ‘one-styled’). | Dark red haws 8–12 mm across with 2–3 stones. |
| Bark | Grey-brown; twigs with sharp thorns 1–2.5 cm long. | Grey-brown, smooth to finely scaly; twigs with thorns 0.5–2 cm long. |
| Shape and height | Broadleaf tree, 4–10 m, often a hedge | Broadleaf tree, 4–8 m, often a shrub or hedge |
| Site | Sun or partial shade, any garden soil, normal | Sun or partial shade, any garden soil, normal |
| Native to Belgium | Yes | Yes |
| Good for bees, butterflies and birds | Yes, for bees, butterflies and birds | – |
| Poisonous to people and pets | Not known to be poisonous | Not known to be poisonous |
| Pruning months | June–September and November–March | June–September and November–March |
The best feature in each season
- Spring
- The Midland hawthorn flowers in April–May, a little earlier than the common hawthorn, which flowers in May. Look inside a flower: two or three styles in the centre, or just one.
- Summer
- The leaf decides it: deeply cut and dull on the common hawthorn, shallowly lobed, finely toothed and glossy dark green on the Midland hawthorn.
- Autumn
- Cut a red berry open: one stone on the common hawthorn, two or three on the Midland hawthorn. The berries of the Midland hawthorn are often slightly larger and a deeper red.
- Winter
- Without leaves they look very alike: greyish-brown twigs armed with thorns. The thorns of the common hawthorn are usually a little longer, up to 2.5 cm. Berries still hanging and fallen leaves help most.
Where do they grow?
Both are native. The common hawthorn is widespread everywhere: in hedges, copses, woodland edges and meadows, in sun or partial shade. The Midland hawthorn tolerates more shade and grows mainly in ancient woods and woodland edges on loam and clay; in streets and gardens you mostly see its red and pink flowering forms.
Which one for your garden?
- For a natural hedge, both are outstanding: flowers for bees and butterflies, berries for birds and a safe nesting place among the thorns. The common hawthorn is the easiest to get and grows almost anywhere.
- For a small flowering tree, choose a red or pink flowering Midland hawthorn, such as ‘Paul’s Scarlet’. Do not plant hawthorns right next to apple or pear trees: they are hosts of fireblight.
Did you know? The Dutch names say it: the common hawthorn is the one-styled hawthorn, with one style in the flower and so one stone in the berry; the Midland hawthorn, the two-styled one, usually has two.
Read on
- Plant profile: Hawthorn
- Plant profile: Midland hawthorn
- Hawthorn: when and how to prune
- Midland hawthorn: when and how to prune
- Identification key