Side by side

Blackthorn or hawthorn? How to tell them apart

Prunus spinosa · Crataegus monogyna

You can tell a blackthorn by its white blossom on bare, almost black branches in March–April, its small, unlobed leaves and its blue sloes; a hawthorn only flowers in May, after the leaves, has deeply cut leaves and carries red berries.

In spring the timing of the blossom tells you: white on bare branches in March–April is blackthorn, white among the young leaves in May is hawthorn. The rest of the year, look at the leaf: small, oval and toothed on the blackthorn, lobed on the hawthorn.

Updated on 10 October 2026

Photo: Rasbak, CC BY-SA 3.0 · source

Blackthorn Prunus spinosa

Photo: Didier Descouens, CC BY-SA 4.0 · source

Hawthorn Crataegus monogyna

Blackthorn and hawthorn side by side
	Blackthorn	Hawthorn
Leaves	Alternate, small (2–4 cm), oval and finely toothed.	Alternate, small (2–5 cm), deeply cut into 3–7 lobes.
Flowering	Small white flowers, massed on the bare branches in March–April (March–April).	Clusters of white, strongly scented flowers in May (May).
Fruit	Blue sloes with a waxy bloom; astringent, better after frost (sloe gin).	Red berries with a single stone (hence monogyna, ‘one-styled’).
Bark	Dark, almost black, with sharp, thorny side shoots.	Grey-brown; twigs with sharp thorns 1–2.5 cm long.
Shape and height	Shrub, 1–4 m	Broadleaf tree, 4–10 m, often a hedge
Site	Full sun, any garden soil, dry to wet	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	Yes, for bees, butterflies and birds
Poisonous to people and pets	Not known to be poisonous	Not known to be poisonous
Pruning months	June–August and November–February	June–September and November–March

The best feature in each season

Spring: The blackthorn flowers first, in March–April, with small white flowers before the leaves; the hawthorn follows in May with clusters of strongly scented flowers among the leaves.
Summer: The leaf decides it: oval and finely toothed on the blackthorn, deeply cut into 3–7 lobes on the hawthorn.
Autumn: Look at the fruits: blue, bloomy sloes on the blackthorn, red haws with a single stone on the hawthorn.
Winter: The blackthorn has dark, almost black branches with thorny side shoots; the hawthorn greyish-brown twigs with true thorns of 1–2.5 cm. Sloes often still hang on after the first frost.

Where do they grow?

Both are native and grow together in hedges, copses, woodland edges and scrub. The blackthorn likes sun and forms dense thickets with its suckers; the hawthorn also grows in partial shade and becomes a small tree.

Which one for your garden?

Together they make an ideal mixed hedge: the blackthorn gives early blossom for bees, the hawthorn flowers in May and berries for birds, and birds nest safely among the thorns. They are food plants for dozens of butterflies and moths, such as the black hairstreak.
Keep the suckers of the blackthorn in check: do not plant it next to a lawn or border. Wear sturdy gloves when pruning, and do not plant hawthorn right next to fruit trees, because of fireblight.

Did you know? Sloes are sour, but after the first frost they soften and sweeten: that is when they are delicious in sloe gin or jelly.

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