Hawthorn 'Prunifolia'

Sun

Full sun gives the best flowering and autumn colour; tolerates partial shade.

Water

Water regularly while establishing. Once established, it tolerates short dry spells but benefits from deep watering during prolonged drought.

Soil

Most well-drained soils, including clay and chalk; tolerates acidic, neutral and alkaline conditions. Avoid persistently waterlogged ground.

Height

20-30 ft (6-9 m)

Spread

20-30 ft (6-9 m)

Flowers

Clusters of white flowers in late spring to early summer; their strong scent can be unpleasant close to seating.

Foliage

Glossy, dark green, broadly oval leaves with toothed edges, turning orange, scarlet or red-purple in autumn.

Growth

Moderate

Care needed

Low

• Pollinators
• Drought tolerant
• Cold hardy
• Wildlife
• Low allergen

Northern hemisphere months. In Australia, shift them by six.

Difficulty

Easy

Toughness

Very tough

Pick your zone, country, light and whether you have pets.

1. Planting day

   7 ft (2 m)

2. After 1 year

   7 ft (2.3 m)

3. After 2 years

   8 ft (2.6 m)

4. After 3 years

   9 ft (2.8 m)

5. After 5 years

   11 ft (3.4 m)

About 20 years to full size.

From a typical nursery size, at an average rate for this kind of plant. A rule of thumb, not a forecast.

Cats and dogs

Mildly toxic: may upset a stomach

Native to

the US and Canada

Growth rate

Moderate

• Plant with the root flare at ground level and allow room for the mature crown.
• Water deeply during dry spells for the first two growing seasons.
• Apply 2-3 in (5-8 cm) of organic mulch, keeping it clear of the trunk.
• Feed only if growth is weak or a soil test identifies a deficiency.
• Stake only if the root ball moves in wind; check ties regularly and remove the stake once the tree is stable.
• Wear thick gloves when working around the thorns, and keep thorny branches clear of paths.

Pruning. In late winter, during dry weather, remove dead, damaged or crossing branches and establish a clear framework while the tree is young. Mature trees need little pruning; avoid routine shearing, which removes flowering and fruiting wood.

Autumn

Plant while the soil is workable, water thoroughly and mulch; in very cold regions, wait until spring.

Late winter

Remove damaged or crossing branches and check the young tree's framework.

Spring

Plant in cold regions, refresh mulch and check any stake ties.

Late spring

Inspect new shoots for aphids and sudden blackening that may indicate fire blight.

Summer

Water young trees deeply during dry weather and remove shoots arising below a graft union.

Late autumn

If leaf disease has been troublesome, collect fallen leaves; leave healthy fruits for birds.

• Use as a specimen tree in a lawn where its spreading crown has room to develop.
• Plant in a mixed boundary with shrubs and grasses for blossom, autumn colour and winter fruit.
• Underplant with spring bulbs and hardy geraniums for a layered, informal planting.
• Use in a wildlife hedge or small tree group, set well back from paths and play areas.

Garden styles it suits: English country, Traditional, Cottage garden, Wildlife garden, Native hedgerow and Autumn colour.

Plant it with: Snowdrops, Daffodils, Hardy geraniums, Catmint, Red-twig dogwood and Tufted hair grass.

Wildlife: Flowers provide pollen and nectar for insects, and birds eat the fruits in autumn and winter. The dense, thorny crown offers shelter and nesting sites.

• Fire blight can blacken blossoms and shoots, particularly in warm, wet weather. Prune affected growth well below visible damage during dry weather, disinfect tools between cuts and avoid heavy nitrogen feeding.
• Hawthorn leaf spot can cause spotting and early leaf fall. Collect affected fallen leaves and maintain airflow through the crown.
• Rust can cause orange spots on leaves or distorted fruit, especially where susceptible junipers grow nearby. Remove affected material where practical and seek local advice if infection recurs.
• Aphids may curl young leaves and leave sticky honeydew. Encourage natural predators and wash small colonies off reachable shoots with water.

Not known to be toxic to cats, dogs or horses, and the fruit flesh is not generally considered poisonous to people. The seeds contain cyanogenic compounds, so do not deliberately chew or eat them; swallowing a few intact seeds is unlikely to cause serious poisoning. The sharp thorns are the main everyday hazard.

• Cockspur hawthorn (Crataegus crus-galli)

  Usually has narrower, more elongated leaves; 'Prunifolia' has broader, plum-like leaves. Both have glossy foliage and long thorns.

• Common hawthorn (Crataegus monogyna)

  Has distinctly lobed leaves, unlike the broadly oval, unlobed leaves of 'Prunifolia'.

The cultivar name 'Prunifolia' means plum-leaved, referring to its broad leaves resembling those of a plum.

Propagation. Usually propagated by grafting or budding onto a compatible hawthorn rootstock. Seed does not reliably reproduce the cultivar and may take a long time to germinate.

Accepted botanical name

Crataegus persimilis

In the US and Canada

Native in Canada and the lower 48 states.

Native range

Kentucky, New York, Ohio, Ontario, Virginia and West Virginia.

Sources: GBIF (CC BY 4.0), USDA PLANTS and Trefle (CC BY 4.0). The care and design notes are LandscapeGPT's own.