In Praise of Hawthorns
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| Littlehip haw (C. spathulata) in bloom |
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| Summer haw (C. flava) is also called yellow haw for this reason, though the fruit comes in various shades from yellow to red |
The genus ranges across North America, Europe, and Asia - a distinctly northern hemisphere group. Within this range, there is a staggering number of species - at least 140 species depending on your taxonomist, and they give many of these experts fits when it comes to classifying them. Haws are often regionally distinct and clonal. The small differences in some clones are enough for some to declare them a unique species. The "lumpers" are constantly circumventing that by placing them in broader classifications. I revel in diversity which makes me an unabashed "splitter." Even then, many are so distinct as to be accepted names by everyone.
Perhaps one reason I'm so fascinated by haws is that they are steeped in Celtic mythology. The "Holy Thorn of Glastonbury", for example, is the subject of Christian lore dating back centuries in Great Britain. Legend is that Saint Joseph of Arimarhea, a disciple of Christ, came to Glastonbury in the first century AD, stuck his holy staff of hawthorn in the ground, and it miraculously sprouted and took root there. The concept of May flowers and May Day are also attributed to haws. The branches of blooming hawthorns were used to adorn houses - even the great poet Edmund Spenser mentions this in his writings. Well before Christianity reached Great Britain, the druids held a special fascination for haws. Both good and back luck has been attributed to them.
Hawthorns are generally small trees. Although a few naturally remain below 3 feet in height, most are deciduous trees that reach a mature height of 15-25 feet. As members of the rose family (Rosaceae), they all produce a spring bloom of 5-petaled white flowers. Many, like the littlehip haw (C. spathulata), produce them in startling abundance in the early spring. These blooms, like all those in this family, attract a great amount of attention from pollinating insects - especially bees of all kinds. The pollinated flowers then go on to produce fruit which are also called "hips" (as in rose hips) or "apples". As they share the same family with apples and crabapples, this is appropriate.
Haw hips are rich in vitamin C and have been used in herbal teas for centuries. Some, like the Mayhaw (C. aestivalis) also support a small jelly industry in rural parts of the country. Hawthorn hips vary in size, color, and time of ripening. Summer haw (C. flava), like the one pictured above, produces yellow to reddish fruit the size of my thumbnail during the summer months. The bright red fruit of Mayhaw ripens in May and is slightly smaller. The ones that seem most significant to migratory birds are the species that produce tiny, bright red fruit that ripen in late fall and over winter on the tree until they are consumed. These include two of my very favorites here in Florida - parsley haw (C. marshallii) and littlehip haw.
Most haws are asymmetrical in growth form. A few, like Washington haw (C. phaenopyrum) are exceptions and perhaps that is why it is one of the few haws that is regularly grown in the nursery trade and planted as an ornamental. It is a wonderful species, but I tend to prefer the asymmetrical ones as they seem to exude more character. The branches of these species make excellent hiding cover, and nesting cover for smaller birds. Most are exceedingly thorny as well, which increases their value as a cover plant.
There are haws for every landscape condition in the northern hemisphere. Some of the wetland species, like Mayhaw and green haw (C. viridis), occur naturally in wet soils, but they adapt well to a typical landscape condition. Others are native to excessively well-drained sandy areas. From my experience, most will also adapt to every typical landscape condition other than saturated soils.
As I begin to plant my new landscape, I have already added five hawthorn species - the diminutive dwarf haw (C. lepida) which I grew from seed several years ago, sandhill haw (C. lassa) which I also had to grow as it is not available from the nursery trade, an as-yet unnamed haw from the Lake Wales Ridge that has been incorrectly called C. lepida by some, and seedlings from two of my former landscape trees, green haw and summer haw. I have set aside two littlehip haws for my future woodland and I will most certainly add a parsley haw that I will purchase from a native nursery once I'm ready for it. There is never enough room for all the hawthorns I wish to add, but I have a clean slate right now and that gives me more room than I have ever had to work with.
Consider the haws if you are creating a living landscape. You won't be disappointed.
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| Green haw in bloom |
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| The ripe fruit of a parsley haw |
I just moved a couple of small parsley hawthorns in my yard to a shady area under a large laurel oak. At this new location I can give them more water and they will recieve less sun. These hawthorns seem to be more thirsty than other Hawthorne. I have seen glorious examples of them next to very wet areas; Hillsborough River State Park along river, Marshall Swamp near standing water, Big Pine next to Burns Prairie. They are very interesting and cheerful trees.
ReplyDeleteThanks once more for adding your comments. Parsley haw is one of the absolute best of the genus for wildlife and for aesthetics .Be careful not to give them too much shade, however, or they will flower, but not set fruit. My experience is that they are very tolerant of "normal" soil conditions once well established .
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