Hawthorn is a genus of deciduous shrubs and low trees of the Pink family. It is a long-liver among many plants, because it can grow for about three centuries. It has useful properties, is used for decorative and medical purposes. Planting hawthorn is a little different from planting other trees. Plant care includes not only pruning, mulching and watering, but also the fight against various diseases and pests. As for reproduction, the shrub can be grown from seeds, by cuttings, and also by grafting. In watering, the plant is unpretentious, as well as in fertilizing with fertilizers. One bucket of liquid manure will be enough for him before flowering begins. In the middle latitudes of our country, several of the most popular varieties of hawthorn are grown.
Varieties and varieties
The genus of plants includes about 200 varieties of hawthorn, not counting various hybrid forms. In our country, 50 species are known and more than 100 have been introduced.
- Crimean hawthorn- tree-like shrub or tree of medium height. It grows on the Crimean peninsula, near Simferopol and Feodosia. Can be found in group plantings of deciduous trees. The shoots are covered with hairs, have a rich cherry color, dotted with numerous spines. The leaves of hawthorn are wedge-shaped with a dark green color at the edges and a lighter shade at the base. Has large flowers.
Crimean hawthorn
- Chinese hawthorn(pinnate) - a plant whose birthplace is China and Japan. In Russia, it can be found in the Far East. Likes bright places good lighting, but also tolerates shady areas. The height of the Chinese hawthorn can reach 6 m. This species differs from others in the complete absence of thorns on the shoots. Leaves are deep green. The fruits are rounded, dark red color, glossy.
Chinese hawthorn
- Hawthorn softish- a species common in America. Grows on slopes high humidity and forest edges. Frost-resistant variety, undemanding to the composition of the soil. It can reach a height of 8 m.
Hawthorn softish
- prickly hawthorn(ordinary) - deciduous shrub, characterized by very slow growth. It grows in the Urals, the Caucasus, Siberia and Central Asia. It has thorns on which leaves can grow. Hawthorn fruits are used in cooking for making jam, jam, decoction, compote, as well as in medicine and scientific research. The plant has diversity. So in hawthorn you can find whole, serrated, three or five-lobed or separate leaves.
prickly hawthorn
- hawthorn blood red – small tree or shrub. The people received the name "lady" or "boyar". It grows mainly in Siberia. Photophilous, but tolerates shade. Can grow long time without watering. The maximum height of the blood-red hawthorn is 6 m, and average duration growth of about 4 centuries. In one kilogram of hawthorn, there can be up to 2 thousand fruits.
hawthorn blood red
Hawthorn: planting and care
Hawthorn prefers rich soils. A prerequisite for its landing is the presence of drainage. It is used as a crumb of brick, crushed stone or gravel. The height of the drainage in the dug hole should not be less than 15 cm.
Advice. To plant a plant, you need to prepare a mixture of sand, peat and humus with the addition of leaf flour. Hawthorn also loves lime, but it should not come into direct contact with its root system.
The ideal place for planting a tree would be a sunny area of the garden, otherwise the plant will grow poorly and bloom, respectively.
Shrub transplant permanent place carried out only in the second year of life. It is better to do it in spring or autumn. The plant is planted to a depth of about 50–65 cm. Immediately after planting, the hawthorn should be watered and the soil around it should be mulched. It is worth being patient, because the tree will begin to fully bear fruit only by 10 years.
hawthorn blossom
As for watering, a bucket of water per month will be enough for a shrub or tree. In drier times, it is necessary to increase the number of waterings up to several times.
Special plant care is not required. Removing weeds, loosening the soil and cutting dried branches - that's the whole basic care for hawthorn.
Fertilizer
Of course, like any plant, hawthorn is not indifferent to fertilizers. It will be enough for him to feed in the form of one bucket of slurry per spring period before flowering. After such top dressing, a shrub or tree will grow more actively, and flowering will be more abundant.
Hawthorn propagation
Reproduction of hawthorn is carried out in three main ways:
- Seeds.
- cuttings.
- Inoculation.
hawthorn fruit
Growing a plant from seeds very long process. The seeds have a thick shell. In this regard, they must go through a long process of stratification, which will help them germinate faster. Stratification can last up to one year. Even the best seeds can only germinate after a couple of years. The reason for this is a considerable number of empty seeds.
In general, hawthorn seeds are harvested when they have not yet had time to ripen. They are left for 72 hours in water. Then wipe sandpaper or sand and rinse. Then the seeds of the plant are placed in a 1% solution of potassium nitrate for two days, and only after that they are sown in the ground. Sowing is carried out in late autumn.
root cuttings
reproduction root cuttings a little easier. They take the roots, cut them into pieces of 10 cm and drop them into the ground at an angle with the thick side up. Both autumn and spring are suitable for cuttings. But planting is still better in a warm place. For example, a greenhouse.
For vaccination the common hawthorn or single-petal hawthorn is perfect. Although any kind of plant is suitable for grafting. Get vaccinated in August.
Diseases and pests
hawthorn caterpillar
Pest control is to use chemicals. For example, chlorophos, karbofos, nitrafen, as well as green oil concentrate and soap solution.
The use of hawthorn
hawthorn - very useful plant, it is rich in B vitamins, pectins, vitamin C, carotene and other trace elements.
Hawthorn decoctions are very beneficial for human health
It is used to purify blood, and since the 20th century - as medicine in cardiovascular diseases. It helps to eliminate the symptoms of atherosclerosis, arrhythmia and hypertension. During the Great Patriotic War the plant was used to replace heart drugs due to their shortage. How medical preparation hawthorn is available in two versions: tablets and tinctures.
Advice. For the prevention of viral diseases, it is recommended to take a decoction of the plant or eat several berries a day.
The fruits are also used in cooking. They are used as a filling for pies.
Hawthorn became widespread and in landscape design. It makes excellent fences and hedges. You can achieve this result by planting plants very close to each other. And also intertwining their branches. Another condition original design the site will be the choice of plant variety and timely cutting of branches. Hawthorn can be given absolutely any shape: square, oval, circle, etc. And most the best option to decorate the garden, there will be single-petal hawthorn, Maksimovich, Pauls Scarlet and plum-leaved.
A hedge of hawthorn bushes
Hawthorn is a useful plant. For the most part, unpretentious. Planting it will require a certain sequence of actions, but care consists in loosening the soil, cutting off old branches, watering and infrequent top dressing. You will have to be patient until the plant begins to fully bear fruit. But the result will undoubtedly exceed all expectations. The plant is not only great option for decorating a summer cottage, but also a storehouse of vitamins. It is used for medicinal purposes as well as folk recipes. Its main focus is to improve the functioning of the heart.
Features of caring for hawthorn: video
Growing hawthorn: photo
Hawthorn is a small shrub or tree that belongs to the Rosaceae family. It has many useful properties. Consider what a hawthorn is, a photo of a plant.
General characteristics, description
This plant is deciduous, grows bushy (if a tree, then it is multi-stemmed). The flowers are white, five-leaved, bloom in spring. Most often they fall off after the appearance of the fetus. The fruits ripen in September-October, round or pear-shaped with several seeds. The color and size depends on the type of plant. Leaves turn orange in autumn. Blooming hawthorn looks stunningly beautiful.
As for planting, the shrub is best planted on the sunny side. In general, this unpretentious plant. The main care consists in feeding before flowering, removing diseased branches in the spring, sheltering young plants for the winter. It is enough to water it once a month.
Reproduction is possible by seeds, cuttings or layering. The plant is widely used in medicine. Dried hawthorn is used to prepare an infusion, which is used for hypertension, nervous strain, and heart disease.
Varieties and types - photo
This plant includes almost 300 species. Approximately 50 species grow in Russia, more than 100 species were imported from abroad. The most popular in Russia are the following types.
common hawthorn
It is also called prickly hawthorn, grows in Europe. In Russia, it is cultivated due to the fact that it does not occur in the wild. The shrub has a height of 3-8 meters. It tolerates drought, frost, lack of sun. Has small spines. The fruits are red, glossy, after frost they are eaten. Fabric dye is obtained from the bark. Often used for decorative purposes.
Hawthorn rotundifolia
Height 9 m, has long spines and irregular crown. Green leaves change their color to orange with the advent of autumn. Sweet and sour berries look like small apples. It stands out among other species in that it is less susceptible to disease.
hawthorn
A plant 3–8 m high, grows even in Africa. It has a symmetrical crown, small spines. The berries are red, contain one seed, appear in autumn. This shrub is melliferous, medicinal and ornamental. looks great as hedge.
Dahurian hawthorn
Hawthorn height 2–6 m, grows in the East in deciduous forests and in river valleys. The shrub blooms in May. Round red berries appear in late summer. Decorative look. Planted more often in botanical gardens.
Douglas hawthorn
America and Canada are considered its homeland. Grows along the banks of mountain rivers. The tree has a height of up to 15 m. Black fruits are collected in clusters. The pulp is sweet, yellow. In early November, massive leaf fall occurs. Frost resistant. Due to the wide crown is very beautiful. It is planted in the alleys.
Hawthorn Arnold
Height 6 m, is deciduous. Green leaves turn yellow in autumn. Most beautiful during flowering. Does not tolerate moisture stagnation. Loves the sun - in the shade it blooms poorly and bears fruit.
hawthorn pinnate
It is not like other species in that it has few spines (and sometimes none at all). Most often grows in riverine forests. Loves the sun, does not grow in dense shade. Height 4–6 m. Berries are large, red, glossy with pulp of the same color, appear from August to October. This ornamental plant has beautiful leaves.
Altai hawthorn
Found in Central and Middle Asia. Loves the world. Protected by nature reserves. The tree grows up to a height of 8 m. There are small thorns. It blooms with white flowers from late spring. The fruits are yellow, appear after 6 years in August.
Pontian hawthorn
Height 7 m, does not like cold weather, therefore it grows in warm regions. The berries are yellow (from rusty green to yellow-orange) with speckles, appear in September. Tolerates drought well. Honey-bearing, ornamental plant with valuable wood.
Maksimovich's hawthorn
7 m, grows in the Far East and Eastern Siberia. The berries are small, round, at first there are hairs, which subsequently disappear.
fan hawthorn
4–5 m, grows in North America in river valleys. Blooms in May. Has red berries of medium size with pulp orange color and bones.
green hawthorn
4–6 m, with a dense pyramidal crown. Black berries have green flesh (hence the name). In October there is a massive leaf fall. Most often planted in parks and alleys.
softish
6 m high, grows on forest edges in North America. Resistant to frost, which makes it a valuable breed for the northern regions. With the advent of cold weather, green leaves turn dark red. It has sweet red-orange berries with sourness, they ripen in early autumn.
Hawthorn Paul Scarlet 4–6 m, belongs to the prickly variety. There are terry pink flowers. The difference is that it practically does not have fruits (they rarely appear). Green leaves bloom early and fall off. Loves the sun.
large-fruited
Varieties of large-fruited hawthorn are most often classified as soft. The berries are very tasty. Oriental orange is also large-fruited, usually the berries weigh 20 g. Spikes are not observed on the shoots. The fruits are yellowish, taste like a sweet apple. Handles for tools are made from wood.
Chinese large-fruited has large spikes up to 6 cm (this is its main drawback). The berries are sweet, slightly sour, weigh about 20 g. They are stored until spring. Medicinal and ornamental shrub.
For central Russia, as well as Siberia, Shamil and blood red are most suitable. The Shamil variety has small spines (3–4 cm), but there are few of them. Red with white dots, spherical, tasty (slightly sour) fruits, ripen in September.
Hawthorn blood-red (Siberian) is unpretentious, tolerates Russian frosts well. It grows gradually in forests and steppes - fruits appear no earlier than 10 years.
Important! Fruit ripening time may vary. This is affected by the place of growth.
The earliest ones ripen in August. These include the Zbigniew variety with long spines and large bright red fruits with light speckles. Then medium fruits appear - in early September. Shamil belongs to this variety.
Late hawthorn berries ripen closer to autumn. The most popular variety is Lyudmil. Its fruits are quite large, round, red-orange. They weigh about 10 g. The pulp is tasty and juicy.
Varieties of ornamental hawthorn
Decorative hawthorn includes such popular types:
- Splendens (5–7 m) - has an asymmetric crown. The green leaves turn yellow-red in autumn. Flowering comes in May-June, fruits appear in September. Since the leaves persist until winter, this variety is an excellent decoration.
- Pear hawthorn is not like other species with its leaves: they are similar to viburnum. Found in America. The berries are bright red. It is hard to tolerate frost, so cultivation is recommended for southern regions.
- Black hawthorn grows in Europe. A tree about 3 m high with small thorns. The fruits are juicy, black, with stones.
They are popular with gardeners.
medicinal grade
Blood red hawthorn (4–6 m) is famous useful qualities. Used to treat diseases nervous system and hearts. Means from the berries of this variety reduce pressure, fight shortness of breath, and clean blood vessels. Its branches are purple-brown, prickly (there are not many thorns). Red fruits ripen in August-September. This variety can be grown throughout the country, as it is frost-resistant.
Hawthorn is an unpretentious plant. It is not only decorative, but also has healing properties. For cultivation, it is worth choosing varieties that tolerate frost well.
Today we will talk about a plant whose fruits are a natural medicine, widely used in times of scarcity of heart drugs. After all, it has a great effect on the work of the heart muscle, stabilizes the rhythm of the heart, in addition, it has antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory properties. Today we learn a lot of useful things about hawthorn.
Hawthorn is a tall shrub, a low thorny tree that belongs to the rose family. According to the description, the flowers of this plant are pink or white. During flowering (in May-June), a specific smell spreads from them. The fruits ripen by the end of August, beginning of September. In shape, they can be spherical or oblong, red in color with a sweetish, slightly tart taste.
Hawthorn habitats are dry forests, mostly deciduous, edges, river openings. It is rarely found in fields, steppes. The most common species is the common prickly blood red hawthorn, which is widely used in traditional medicine. The value is the fruits, flowers, bark of the plant.
Shrub varieties
There are only about 300 varieties, each of which has many varieties. IN Russian Federation about 50 species are growing, and another 100 have been transplanted to new habitats. The main differences between them are the color of the bark, foliage, yield, color and size of the fruit. All of them are united by drought and frost resistance, light-loving, unpretentiousness to the soil.
Standards of each kind
There are a lot of species of hawthorn, so we will consider only the main ones.
Common hawthorn has a height of about 5 m, its berries are bright red, flesh yellow color. The most suitable soils for its growth are stony and clay. Common hawthorn can be planted on summer cottages, in the garden, to form excellent forms of hedges from the crowns of trees.
Siberian variety with a height of up to 6 m, with a small number of spines, very long (up to 4 cm). It blooms with white flowers with purple splashes (from May to June). Its berries are a rich bloody color.
The Crimean variety is a tree-like shrub growing on the Kerch Peninsula, as well as near Simferopol, Feodosia. This type of hawthorn rarely grows alone, on the contrary, it grows next to other deciduous shrubs. The trunk is dark gray, brown in color, covered with small spines, the leaves are dark green in color along the contour with frequent teeth. The size of the inflorescences is quite large (about 10 cm).
Soft, or semi-soft variety - the tallest tree (about 8 m) with a lush crown, a trunk covered with a large number of small thorns. Flowers white color, very nice shape. Fruits from 6 years of age. Its habitat is the damp slopes of forest edges; its homeland is the northeastern part of the United States (from Ontario to Connecticut).
The green-fleshed variety has original white flowers with dark-colored stamens. Fruits of black color with green pulp are very tasty. The tree trunk is covered with thorns (1.5 cm long).
The one-piston variety belongs to the bushes, it is easily formed into various hedges. Of interest to medicine are both berries and flowers of this plant.
The Chinese or pinnatifid variety is very common. It is native to China, Korea, Far East Russia. It was later brought to Western Europe and the USA. Distinctive features given tree are the almost complete absence of thorns, and the unusual hairy surface of the foliage. This type of hawthorn loves light, but can also grow in shady places. The height of an adult tree reaches 6 m. At the beginning of flowering, the inflorescences are white, and closer to the end they become pink. Fruit size is about 16 mm.
Maksimovich's variety, this bush got its name in honor of the Russian researcher of flora and fauna Maksimovich Karl Ivanovich. Hawthorn grows in the Far East and Eastern Siberia. It occasionally settles in groups at once, mostly grows alone on mountain slopes or edges. Its height is about 7 m. The color of the bark is dark brown or gray. The shape of the leaves is rhombic or ovoid. White inflorescences are very beautiful, the diameter of which is about 5 cm. The berries themselves are small, hairy at the beginning of ripening (end of August), and naked by the end (beginning of September). Only since 1904 this type of hawthorn began to be grown in Western Europe and North America.
Variety "Paul Scarlet" with a shrub height reaching 4 m. Of particular value for gardening art is its appearance. Inflorescences are very bright, rich carmine color. The flowering process begins in May-June. The bark of a young tree is strewn with red-brown hairs, and an older one is ash-red. This tree carefully protects its beauty - its entire trunk and branches are densely covered with thorns-thorns about 2 centimeters long.
The leaves are large, with a transition from dark to light green color. The berries are small (about 1.2 cm), spherical or elongated, very rich red-brown color with a silvery tint. fruiting it ornamental shrub occurs infrequently, it is planted mainly because of the beautiful flowering.
Variety "Arnold" is very popular. Distinctive features of this North American variety are the large size of the fruit, the large thickness of the shoots, and the unusual shape of the leaves. The fruit has a bright carmine color, on top it is covered with white hairs. Leaflets are rounded, thorns are rather long (up to 30 mm).
The color of the bark is gray, brown. It is best to plant this plant not with seeds, but with cultivars, since in the first case flowering occurs after 6-7 years, and in the second - 3-4 years. The fruits ripen quickly and fall off quickly. Their taste is sweet and sour, the flesh is pink. Fruiting occurs annually. It is very important to cut the bush regularly, as by the age of 25 it reaches its maximum size.
A plum-leaved ornamental variety was bred at the end of the 18th century. Its maximum height is considered to be 5-7 m. It looks especially impressive in autumn, when the foliage on it becomes yellow-red, and the fruits become bright scarlet. The shape of the dark green leaf is elliptical. For a long time their fruits are on the branches (from September to December).
What are the medicinal properties of hawthorn?
The prickly hawthorn is rich in many useful substances. It contains fructose (not dangerous even for diabetics), biologically active substances. So, it contains a lot of tripeptic acids, choline, acetylcholine, quercetin, tannins, phytosterols, tartaric and citric acid, vitamins A, C, R.
Positive therapeutic results from taking medicinal berries are:
- improvement of coronary circulation;
- increased contractions of the heart muscle;
- stimulation of the heart;
- elimination of inflammation of the biliary tract and liver;
- normalization of the thyroid gland;
- getting rid of shortness of breath;
- antitumor effect.
Common hawthorn has many medicinal and beneficial properties. They have been known since ancient times. Ancient manuscripts testify to this. They preserved a lot of information about the use of this plant for the treatment of many ailments, in particular heart disease.
Photo gallery
Photo 1. Hawthorn tea Photo 2. Close-up of hawthorn fruits Photo 3. Common hawthorn for making wine Photo 4. Common hawthorn on branches Photo 5. Close-up of common hawthorn Photo 6. Common hawthorn in a bunch
Video "Hawthorn: properties, uses, recipes"
Learn about all the benefits of this plant from the video.
hawthorn-Crataegus monogyna Jacq.Crataegus monogyna
Photo by Olga Blochman
It grows wild in the central and southern regions of the European part of Russia, in the Caucasus, in Central Asia. By biological characteristics and nature of use, it is close to prickly hawthorn, from which it differs in rapid growth and the presence of pinkish flowers. Lives up to 200-300 years. In culture, it is found mainly within the natural range, and also occasionally in Siberia and Central Asia. In culture, north goes to the St. Petersburg line - Vologda, and in the south there are its plantations in Central Asia, the Caucasus, and also in Western Siberia. Light-loving mesophyte, microtherm, mesotroph, assectator of shrub cenoses and less often undergrowth. Protected in nature reserves.
Tree 3-6 m tall, sometimes in favorable conditions reaches 8-12 m. The crown is quite symmetrical, round-hipped. Shoots are bare, old branches are brownish-gray. Spines few, up to 1 cm long. Leaves ovate or rhombic, 3.5 x 2.5 cm. Inflorescences of 10-18 flowers. The fruits are round, up to 0.7 cm, with one seed. Fruits from 6 years.
This species is less demanding on temperature and humidity conditions and therefore can be used in areas with a more continental climate. This hawthorn has long been used in gardens and parks, in avenue plantings, and in hedges. It tolerates shearing well and has a high shoot-forming ability. The most decorative forms with double white and pink flowers.
In GBS since 1950, 5 samples (And copies) were grown from seeds obtained from various botanical gardens. At 42 years old, height 7.3 m, trunk diameter I cm. Plant grows from 7.V ± 7 to 11.X ± 8 for 156 days. The growth rate is average. Blossoms for 16 days from June 2 ± 6 to June 18 ± 4. Fruits ripen on September 22 ± 8. Average winter hardiness. Seed viability 93%, germination rate 12%. When treated with phyton, 96% of the cuttings take root.
Rosea Flore Pleno
Photo EDSR.
Notable for the abundance of very decorative garden forms, among which the most common are: pyramidal(f. stricta) - a tree with a pyramidal crown; weeping(f. pendula) - with branches pubescent downwards; pink weeping(f. rosea pendula) - weeping with pink flowers; crimson(f. punicea) - with dark red single flowers; pink(f. rosea) - flower petals are pink with white stripes; white terry(f. albo-plena) - with white double flowers; red terry(f. rubra-plena) - with red double flowers; always blooming(f. semperflorens) - a low, graceful shrub that blooms all summer until autumn; split-leaved(f. laciniata) - with pinnate, deeply dissected leaves; white-and-white(f. argentea-variegata) - with white-variegated leaves; thornless(f. inermis) - branches without thorns, flowers are ordinary, white. The variety " Rosea Flore Pleno"(see photo) with dark pink double flowers, in harsh winters it freezes over at the latitude of St. Petersburg.
"Plena"- A tree up to 6 m tall. Widely found in culture. Highly decorative due to white double, later pink flowers. In GBS since 1967, 1 sample (1 copy) was grown from GBS reproduction seeds. At 25 years old, height 4.4 m, trunk diameter 7 cm Phenological development coincides with the main species Growth rate is average Blossoms Winter hardiness below average Poor cuttings propagated by grafting.
Garden forms grafted onto the trunk are used in single plantings in the foreground, in groups and row planting. In high standard form - in urban street plantings. In culture since 1880.
