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Hawthorn - planting and care

Hawthorn is a wonderful ornamental and medicinal plant that does not require special planting conditions or painstaking care. Spectacular species forms and varieties in their beauty can easily compete with the most sophisticated garden plants.

Popular varieties

Hawthorn is known for its incredible diversity - there are more than two hundred species of this plant. Based on the most attractive of them, species forms were obtained and exquisite varieties and hybrids were bred.

Common hawthorn

A beautiful rounded bush or tree 2–5 m high, with reddish branches studded with a few thorns, shiny leaves, small cream inflorescences and large red berries. In spring, magnificent varieties are bright balls of flowers in pure, joyful tones:

Rubra Plena – double purple with white center;
Rosea Flore Pleno – double pink;
Alba Plena – soft pink;
Candida plena – snow-white;
Paul's Scarlet - bright red.

Hawthorn monopolyta

This stable species has a high crown - up to 5–6 m, split leaves, branches with sparse spines, loose white inflorescences up to 5 cm in diameter and bright red shiny berries. The varieties differ in the color of the flowers, the location and direction of growth of the branches:

Stricta - branches point upward, forming a pyramidal crown;
Compacta – spherical small crown, white flowers, small shiny leaves;
Flexuosa - an original variety with branches twisted in the shape of a corkscrew;
Variegata - the leaves have white streaks that give the shrub an unusual, delicate and very attractive appearance;
Rosea Flore Pleno is a beautiful hybrid, double flowers, raspberry-pink.

In addition, wild hawthorn species themselves are exclusively decorative.

In common blood red hawthorn shiny reddish-brown branches, seated with numerous long spines, large dissected leaves, golden-orange in autumn, and round scarlet fruits up to 1 cm in diameter. These delicious drupes are quite edible - they are mealy, slightly sour.

Douglas hawthorn grows into a large, sloping tree with low-hanging branches free of thorns. With proper pruning, this species can be used to form a dense, wide hedge. The agate-black, glossy berries are filled with sweet, creamy pulp and attract birds.

To create an impenetrable fence around the perimeter of the site, plant large-thorned hawthorn, the branches of which are covered with curved spines up to 14 cm long. The leaves are shiny, dark green, the berries are red with dark yellow dry pulp.

Landing

Hawthorns are unpretentious to soil, but grow best on fertile loams with neutral soil. These plants are light-loving; their voluminous, tall forms require open space.

When choosing a place to plant a hawthorn, first of all, take into account its purpose:

to form hedge plant seedlings along the perimeter of the site in prepared trenches;
For obtaining fruits plants are placed at a distance of 2–3 m, in this case pits are prepared;
For tapeworm plantings(solitary plants) choose a place depending on the size of the variety - large species are planted at a distance of 5–6 m, between dwarf varieties (Compacta) or forms with a narrow crown (Stricta) leave 1.5–2 m.

Hawthorn is planted during the dormant period - in early spring before the buds open or in the fall, after dropping the leaves. Holes and trenches are dug measuring 50 × 50 cm.

Then proceed as follows:

On poor soils, extracted soil, humus and leaf soil or compost are mixed in equal proportions.
Acidic soils are limed by adding 50 g of slaked lime or a glass of chalk to the soil mixture.
Seedlings are placed in the trenches in a checkerboard pattern with a distance of 40 cm.
The roots are well covered with fertile soil so that the root collar is 5–8 cm above the soil level, compacted and watered.
After planting, the soil is mulched with humus or.

Care

In addition to the traditional and mandatory work for any garden crop to remove weeds, loosen the soil and water during drought, proper pruning is important for hawthorn, which is especially important when arranging hedge.

Young plants are easily formed in bush form, for which the main shoot is removed in the spring. In the future, formative pruning is carried out only after flowering has ended, in order to obtain a beautiful hedge, drenched in delicate color in the spring.

How to create a hedge

Plants of the selected variety are planted in trenches and then trimmed:

Neighboring bushes are re-grafted using the method of bringing together, which will make the fence reliable and allow weak plants to feed from strong ones:
Immediately after planting, the branches are shortened to a height of 20 cm.
- where the branches touch, the skin is cut off, the sections are joined and wrapped with insulating tape, which is removed in the fall;
- As the bushes grow, several more graftings are performed, but they work better on young plants.
When the bushes reach a height of 70–80 cm, they are pruned to a level of 40 cm.
When the branches grow to 100 cm, they are cut back to 70–80 cm, which allows you to get a level, dense hedge.

Advice. To get an even line, stretch a thick piece of twine along the fence you are forming.

Disease protection and pest control

Hawthorn is a resistant plant, but can be affected by some diseases; consider the symptoms and measures to combat fungal infections.

When affected, a whitish, thin, erasable coating appears on the leaves, which becomes dense over time and darkens by autumn.

Appears on the leaves in mid-summer in the form of rounded orange-red tubercles. It is important to take into account that hawthorn acts as a carrier of this disease, and the main host is, so it is better not to plant these plants nearby.

In wet conditions the bushes are affected rot leaves, manifesting itself as shapeless brownish necrotic spots covered with a brown coating of spores.

If angular brown spots appear on both sides of the leaves, the plant is infected. Over time, the affected areas fade and become gray with a dark border.

Measures to combat fungal diseases:

Affected plants are treated 2–3 times per season:
In case of severe fungal infection, diseased branches are cut out and burned.
If disease outbreaks have been noted in past periods, in the spring before the buds open, the hawthorn is treated with Nitrophen solution, which will destroy not only fungi, but also many pests.
First of all, it is important to remove fallen leaves, since fungal spores overwinter in plant debris.
- against powdery mildew with Topaz, Topsin M or colloidal sulfur;
- when affected by spots with fungicides Strobi, Skor, Oxyx or Topsin M.
In the fall, cut out withered branches and after leaf fall, spray the bushes and soil with 2% copper sulfate.

Hawthorn is attacked by common pests garden - leaf rollers, cherry sawfly, hawthorn and others. In case of severe damage, insecticides are used - BI 58, Arrivo, Decis or Confidor.

Reproduction

Hawthorn planting material is obtained by layering, green and root cuttings, grafting and seeds.

On a personal plot, a simple and effective method is successfully used - reproduction layering:

in early spring, near the mother bush, grooves up to 10 cm deep are dug in a radial direction (with rays);
prepare the soil as for planting holes and place the lower branches of the bush in the grooves, leaving the apical buds on the surface;
to prevent flexible shoots from springing, they are pinned with steel wire staples and covered with soil, after which they are watered and mulched abundantly;
During the season, 4–5 waterings are carried out, immediately after the appearance of young shoots, their bases are covered with mounds of earth 10–15 cm high;
In the fall or next spring, young plants are planted for growing.

When the roots of adult bushes are damaged, numerous shoot, which is an excellent planting material. As soon as young plants have formed their own root system, they are planted in prepared areas. Using this technique, you can not only obtain strong seedlings, but also strengthen the mother bushes, while maintaining the decorative appearance of the plantings.

Use in folk medicine

Fruits and flowers are often used as a medicinal and restorative. blood red hawthorn And common hawthorn. These medicinal plants exhibit their healing properties for cardiac disorders, hypertension, insomnia, colds, thyroid dysfunction, vitamin deficiencies, neuroses and insomnia.

To prepare medicinal infusion of flowers 3 tablespoons of color are steamed with 3 cups of boiling water, left for 20 minutes and taken a glass three times a day. The remedy is effective for bronchitis, nervous shock, dizziness, thyrotoxicosis and to strengthen the heart.

If hawthorn grows in the yard, daily use of several fresh berries After meals it will serve as a vitamin supplement, normalize blood pressure, and help stabilize blood sugar levels.

Video about the features of planting and caring for hawthorn

Hawthorn is an extremely unpretentious, useful plant that deserves close attention and planting in every area. In spring in full bloom or in autumn with orange-red leaves and bright lanterns of fruit, these colorful shrubs attract admiring glances for a long time and will not leave the most sophisticated connoisseurs indifferent.

» Hawthorn

Hawthorn grows as shrubs great height. The plant has become widespread in decorative design.

Also hawthorn used for medical purposes, thanks to its beneficial properties. Hawthorn berries are eaten.

This article will provide a description of hawthorn, varieties and its beneficial qualities. Let's look at tips for planting, growing and caring for this plant and much more.

The berries and flowers of this plant are very useful for human health. They are used either for preventive or therapeutic purposes.

The components of hawthorn normalize blood pressure and digestive processes, prevent fatigue, and reduce the risk of nervous diseases. Hawthorn should be consumed by those who suffer from cardiovascular diseases.

Even in ancient times, the berries of various varieties of hawthorn were used for medicinal purposes in Asian countries. During the sixteenth century, different species and varieties of the plant were grown.

To begin with, hawthorn was used to combat diarrhea. And only then this plant was used to improve the performance of the cardiovascular system.

The main benefit of hawthorn is that its berries contain carotene, which is necessary to strengthen the immune system.

Also they contain huge amounts of calcium, magnesium, iron and many other chemical elements that are needed to improve the functioning of the circulatory system.

When consumed as a decoction or infusion, hawthorn fruits benefit each organ individually.

How to plant and grow: autumn or spring, choosing a place for growing

This plant requires clay soil, but which contains many minerals and is rich in humus. After you have dug a hole (its depth should be 65 centimeters), you need to prepare the planting mixture.

It should consist of humus, sand and peat. At the very bottom of the dug hole, you need to pour crushed stone approximately 20 centimeters high.

It is important to plant the plant in a sunny place, or it will not be able to bear a bountiful harvest.

Mature hawthorn has very long roots. Therefore, replanting can only be done when the plant is young, that is, up to five years. After this, there is no need to replant it anymore, since the hawthorn will acquire a strong and durable root system.

Hawthorn should be planted in spring or autumn. Regardless of the planting period, the plant will produce the same fruit yield. Until the plant is two years old, you need to decide on a permanent location where the hawthorn will grow.

After planting, the soil must be watered and cover with peat or ordinary soil by about seven centimeters. When planting, you need to take into account the distance between the other plants in the garden; it should be two or three meters.

Hawthorn begins to bear a huge harvest five years after planting. Hawthorn will bear the greatest number of fruits ten years after planting.

The expert will tell you about hawthorn, its characteristics, planting and care:

Caring for shrubs after planting and replanting: fertilizing, pruning, how to water

One of the main advantages of hawthorn is its easy care. You are required to be attentive. Important promptly cut off branches or shoots that are dry or diseased.

To keep the plant looking neat, it should be trimmed regularly. The plant needs to be trimmed in the spring., and removal of dried and diseased parts can be done at absolutely any time of the year.

There is a need to constantly remove weeds and loosen the soil cover. You can fertilize hawthorn with regular manure just before the flowering period of the plant.

Water abundantly in summer and spring only needed once a month. 12 liters of purified water should be poured onto one bush. But if the summer period is dry, then it is important to increase watering up to three times.

Propagation by seeds (seeds) at home

Hawthorn can be propagated using several methods.

Propagating the seeds or seeds of this plant at home is a rather difficult process, because the stratification of the plant lasts approximately one year, and the first seeds sprout after a long period. Many seeds will not be able to germinate at all.

Prepare the seeds in advance and follow the following algorithm:

They should stand in purified water for 72 hours in a room at room temperature (23 degrees Celsius).
Then you just need to wipe them thoroughly.
Prepare potassium nitrate (combined mineral fertilizer) and place the seeds there for 48 hours.
Plant the seeds in the ground. Planting should be carried out in the last month of the autumn period (November).
As soon as the seedling has reached a height of 60 centimeters, it must be pruned. Shortening pruning involves removing three buds. There is also a reduction in shoots; there should be two of them left - this is necessary for the further proper growth of the plant.

Varieties and types

Crimean hawthorn. Crimean hawthorn - the species looks like a tree of small height and grows in Crimea. The plant is almost impossible to find alone; it is planted in a group with other shrubs.

The berries of the plant are cherry in color with a dark tint, and the tree bark is also brown with a dark tint. The color of the leaves is green. This variety grows on rocky slopes.

Chinese hawthorn. Since it most often grows in China, this species received this name. Chinese hawthorn is also grown in other countries on the banks of various rivers. The plant appeared in European countries in the nineteenth century.

This species loves full sun, but can also be grown in partial shade. The height of the tree reaches more than five meters. The trunk bark is gray with a dark tint.

The main feature of Chinese hawthorn– it has practically no spines. The leaves are green in color with a bright tint. The inflorescences of the plant have an average diameter of seven centimeters.

The color of the berries is red with a very bright tone, almost. The berries themselves have the shape of a regular ball. The diameter of the berry is on average 16 millimeters.

Soft hawthorn. This species is most common in areas of the United States. Forest edges are the main distribution area of the soft hawthorn. It tolerates low air temperatures and can grow in soil that is not rich in minerals.

The tree has a powerful trunk and its height reaches nine meters. The spines of the plant are chestnut in color and their length is ten centimeters. The length of the leaves is 6 or 7 centimeters. The flowers, which have a diameter of three centimeters, create inflorescences consisting of 12 flowers.

The berries are an orange flower with a red tint. The flowering period begins at the end of the spring period (May), and the softish hawthorn begins to bear fruit at the beginning of the autumn period (September).

Hawthorn "Arnold". This variety is native to North America. Distinctive features: thick shoots and large leaves, which reach a diameter of four centimeters and a length of ten centimeters.

The flowering period begins either in late spring (May) or early summer (June). In general, the plant begins to bloom only eight years after planting.

Hawthorn 'Arnold' bears fruit early. The berries can be picked almost every year.

Hawthorn "Maximovich". This variety was given this name thanks to its discoverer from Russia. The fruits are small in size, spherical in shape, and their diameter is only one centimeter. One kilogram contains an average of 1800 berries.

The flowering period begins in the last month of spring (May), and this variety of hawthorn begins to bear fruit in late summer (August) or early autumn (September).

At the beginning of the twentieth century, the plant began to spread to other parts of the world. The leaves are diamond-shaped with a pointed end.

This is only a small part of the species and varieties of hawthorn.

Each type and variety has its own distinctive characteristics. The main advantage of hawthorn is its unpretentious care. Certain varieties are capable of producing huge harvests.

In the future, you will be able to eat berries for preventive or medical purposes. If you suffer from any cardiovascular diseases, then this plant is suitable for you.

Remember: hawthorn can bring you many benefits and joy.

Unfortunately, in our country, hawthorn and the tincture of its berries and flowers are remembered only when mentioning Prohibition and the difficult 90s, when there were long lines at the pharmacy for them.

But this is actually a very useful plant with a lot of useful properties - there are “no number” of recipes from it.

In this article, we will first of all talk about growing hawthorn and caring for it in your garden, and of course we will also mention its beneficial properties.

First, a little science.

Genus Crataegus L, family Rosaceae Juss. (pink), superorder Rosanae.

The number of species is 1000-1250. They grow over a wide area in the northern hemisphere between 20s and 60s north latitude. More than 80% of the species are plants of North America (the genus Grataegus is considered systematically complex, as it has a number of polyploid complexes and many interspecific hybrids - Phipps, Muniyamina, 1980; Phipps, 1983).

Hawthorn is mainly valued as an ornamental plant, but it is also important as a fruit crop and is used as a rootstock. Its most famous types are:

C. orientalis Pall., eastern hawthorn, grows in the Crimea, Transcaucasia, Asia Minor, and the Balkans. The seeds contain up to 38% fatty oil, C. pontica C. Koch. – Pontic hawthorn, grows in Eastern Transcaucasia, Central Asia, Northern Iran, Turkey, introduced into cultivation, produces up to 30 kg of fruits from each tree, the diameter of which reaches 30 mm.

Hawthorn plants are small trees (up to 5-6 m in height) or shrubs, branched, with thorns on shoots and branches (C. atrosanguinea has no thorns). Leaves are 3-7-lobed, oblong-obovate, round-ovate, triangular-oval and almost round, often hairy on both sides, less often glabrous or slightly drooping, rather dense. Flowers in corymbs of 7-20 pieces, white, bloom after the leaves extend and straighten. The fruits are from 6 to 30 mm in diameter, rounded-oblate, ovoid-spherical, spherical, ribbed, orange-yellow to dark red, and are a stone-shaped apple. A number of species are edible, but there are also poisonous ones (C. ambigua C, A. Mey. ex A. Beck. - B. doubtful).

In the south of Russia, the blood-red hawthorn “S. Sanguinea."

Hawthorn can be found everywhere, all over the world, and it has been known since ancient times. There is evidence that hawthorn bloomed on our planet back in the Cretaceous period of the Mesozoic era!

Hawthorn has many popular names: boyarka and lady-tree, hunger and gludina, maypole and white thorn... Almost every nation can find mention of this plant in myths or legends.

There are many known species of hawthorn - more than a thousand. There are 1,125 species growing in North America alone! In Russia and the CIS countries, 74 wild species of hawthorn are common, 89 have been introduced into cultivation.

Of these, the most famous are blood-red, prickly, single-pistillate, crooked-cup, Crimean, Altai, deceptive, chokeberry, oriental, Ukrainian, scarlet, and Daurian.

Cultivated species of hawthorn have taken root in many parks and gardens around the world. Moreover, it helps in the treatment of cardiovascular diseases.

The effectiveness of hawthorn in treating the heart and, importantly, in the prevention of such diseases is the reason why in many countries it has long been successfully grown in gardens.

In Korea, Spain and Italy, hawthorn is grown as a fruit crop, which is no less important than apples. Jam, jelly, surrogate coffee and tea are made from hawthorn.

The two most common types in our country are blood-red and prickly hawthorns. The most famous blood-red hawthorn can be found in central and southern Russia, and in Siberia. In the wild, it most often grows in undergrowth, on forest edges, along river banks, and in steppe ravines.

Hawthorn blooms in May-June, quite modestly - with small fragrant white or pink flowers. It fades very quickly - in a few days, at most a week.

But in the fall its leaves turn golden, orange, and purple. Against this magnificent backdrop, clusters of red berries light up in late August and September. A real boyar's dress! “A hawthorn is good, but not near a boyar’s porch,” they said in the old days. And this is true: it is better to admire and feast on them without boyar interference!

Growing hawthorn in the garden

As a garden tree, hawthorn is very unpretentious - it easily tolerates pruning and crown formation, and for this reason many gardeners successfully use it to create green hedges with their own hands.

My neighbor made a real fence on her property from the “descendants” of my luxurious bush. The hedge looks very elegant, especially in the fall, and protects better than any fence. Dense thorny bushes become a natural barrier for both prying eyes and neighborhood boys. In addition, the thrifty housewife prepares the harvest from this “fence” for the winter: medicine for loved ones, and vitamin supplements for the chickens.

If you want to plant hawthorn in your garden, I advise you to choose a sunny place for it - this way it will bear fruit better.

Two-year-old seedlings take root best.

In the spring, you need to remove dry and diseased branches; in the winter, it is advisable to cover the roots with a dry leaf to keep them from freezing.

You can sow hawthorn seeds before winter or early spring. Or plant in the spring, before the buds open, a root shoot dug at a distance of 1.5-2 meters from the mother bush.

If you decide to make a hedge of hawthorn bushes or trees in your garden (depending on its type), plant the seedlings at a distance of about 25-30 centimeters and gradually intertwine the branches with each other, making gentle pruning until until the hedge takes on a finished look and all that remains is to correct it.

The harvest from even one bush will fully satisfy the needs of the whole family. You can collect not only fruits, but also flowers of hawthorn. Moreover, for medicinal purposes, flowers are often preferable. However, there are subtleties and secrets that you need to know so that the flowers and fruits you collect become truly healing for you.

Hawthorn is a very tenacious plant and is distinguished by its longevity. The winter hardiness of this plant is excellent and over the years it only increases due to the layering of the bark, which is why it is so widespread throughout the world. It also tolerates drought very well, and, as a rule, does not require additional watering when grown in the garden. Loves light - You yourself have probably noticed that in a dense deciduous forest it is oppressed; the berry harvest in such places is much smaller.

Hawthorn propagation

It can be propagated by both seeds and layering. Most people use cuttings to propagate hawthorn. Particularly valuable cultivated species with a high content of useful substances are propagated by grafting - this way they do not lose their properties.

Many gardeners resort to propagating hawthorn by seeds, but in this case you will have to be patient.

Among the diseases, hawthorn is affected by powdery mildew (Podosphaera leucotricha Satm.), fire blight (Erwinia amylovora (Bur.) Com, S.A.V., etc.

Hawthorn plants are long-lasting (up to 200 years), very decorative, especially during the flowering period (April-May), fruit ripening (August-September) and before leaf fall (October-November). They lend themselves well to cutting and are used to create natural fences in parks and individual plots. They are planted on mountain slopes to prevent small landslides. During the flowering period, hawthorn is a good honey plant.

Useful properties of hawthorn.

The fruits of wild hawthorn species have been used by humans since ancient times, especially in China, Central and Western Asia. In Europe and North America, the best forms of hawthorn began to be introduced into cultivation in the 16th-17th centuries, but they did not receive widespread development. As a fruit crop, hawthorn is mainly known in China, Afghanistan, Iran, Turkey, Italy, Spain, Tunisia, Algeria and Morocco, however, in these countries it is only of a consumer, not industrial nature.

Hawthorn fruits contain up to 11% sugars, 0.30-0.66% malic acid, up to 40 mg% vitamin C, carotene, flavonoids (0.3%), saponins (0.2%), glycosides (0.23% ), phytosterols, choline, tannins (3.7%), ursolic, oleamonic, chlorogenic, caffeic, crategusic, citric, tartaric acids, phytosterol, sorbitol. The flowers contain acetylcholine, quercetin, hyperoside, caffeic and chlorogenic acids, flavonoids, saponins, and up to 1.5% essential oil. The seeds contain up to 38% fatty oil.

Hawthorn contains even more pectin substances than the recognized leaders in this field - and. It also contains carotene - some types and varieties in terms of its content can even be compared with rose hips and are only slightly inferior to carrots.

After freezing, fruits lose tannins and become sweeter and less tart. The presence of organic acids gives them a pleasant taste.

Hawthorn has been used since ancient times as a medicinal and prophylactic agent - it was used for this purpose by the physician Dioscorides.

Preparations from the fruits and flowers of hawthorn, as mentioned above, are especially valuable in the treatment and prevention of heart disease. They improve blood circulation in the vessels, have a positive effect on the central nervous system, can lower blood pressure (slightly), and improve sleep very well - I myself fight insomnia with the help of its tincture.

In this article I will not give recipes for hawthorn tinctures and other useful decoctions - let the specialists do this, but on my own behalf I would like to recommend reading the book by pharmacist Natalya Zabotina “Hawthorn Healing the Heart” with a lot of hawthorn recipes for all occasions - it can be easily found and download on the Internet.

The industry produces liquid extract and tincture from the fruit. Liquid extract of hawthorn is part of cardiovalene.

The fruits are used fresh, dried, and ground into flour. Surrogates for coffee and tea are prepared from them, jam, compote, jelly, marmalade, jelly, and caramel filling are made. Oil is extracted from the seeds. The leaves and bark are used to dye wool and fabrics, and the bark is used as a tanning agent. Strong, hard hawthorn wood is used for small crafts and decorations.

From the point of view of agriculture, and not of a simple summer resident, hawthorn is a valuable fruit crop that deserves the creation of specialized plantings. At the same time, it requires serious, targeted breeding work to create varieties that meet intensive technologies.

The benefits of hawthorn and my story about caring for it

I am writing a letter to tell you about my hawthorn.

I am a summer resident with great experience and have never been interested or thought about planting hawthorn: there are few sunny places, it is better to plant an extra currant or gooseberry bush. But at the nth age I was tormented by arrhythmia and blood pressure - they overtook me on the bus, at the dacha, I called an ambulance more than once, I was in the hospital several times. I began to look for something to help myself, besides medicine, and bought two hawthorn seedlings - they said that they were decorative and were not cheap.

I planted it in the best place, just like all the fruit trees. The holes were 60x60 cm, and I added fertile soil, humus, ash, and a handful of superphosphate. She mixed everything and lowered the seedlings. I installed a support - a piece of plastic pipe, tied it up, covered it with earth, and watered it.

One seedling did not take root, but the other began to grow well, bloomed in the fourth year, and still pleases with flowers and large bright orange fruits.

I don’t dig up the ground under it; in the fall I put humus and ash under the crown. I dig shallow holes along the crown and throw in super phosphate or autumn fertilizer. This year I collected 3 kg of berries - I remove them from the tree when they become soft. Several times I was left completely without berries, the thrushes were ahead of me - a whole flock flew in, covered the whole tree and left nothing. But I try to be more conscious, always leave them a few eyelids with berries.

Hawthorn, like all fruit trees, can become diseased - this is immediately obvious from the leaves and berries: sand-colored spots appear. They do not affect the usefulness and quality in any way, but they should not be there. In the spring it is necessary to treat against diseases and pests.

I dry my hawthorn berries on towels, then put them in two plastic bags and put them in the freezer. You can dry them in the oven. Previously, I brewed them in a one and a half liter thermos - threw in a handful of berries and poured boiling water over them. I drank half a glass three times a day. Now I just cook compotes for two days: frozen hawthorn, blackberries, red currants and a little sugar. I only drink the compote itself, throwing away the berries - there are too many seeds.

There are a lot of types of hawthorn, and only 10 of them are planted in summer cottages - these are ordinary, blood red, Daurian, Altai, etc. Their fruits (berries) are orange, pink, bright red, black. All have spines. My hawthorn has very hard spines, 3-3.5 cm long. I cut my hawthorn in the fall to the height I need to make it convenient to pick berries.

Everything about hawthorn is healing: leaves, fruits, and flowers. The leaves, as well as the flowers and fruits, contain vitamin C. The fruits contain vitamin P and many various substances necessary for the heart, organic acids.

beauty

Now about the hawthorn hedge. My neighbor has a street fence made of it, but he still installed a large mesh fence. You can make such a fence around the entire perimeter of the site. A formidable defense, thick, with thorns - neither a person nor an animal will pass through, it does not even allow light to pass through.

For hedges, hawthorn seedlings (usually three years old) are planted in holes 60x60 cm (written above), or in a trench along a stretched rope. The distance between seedlings is 1 m. It is advisable to shed holes with good soil and mineral fertilizer with potassium permanganate. Caring for seedlings: fertilizing with mineral fertilizers, watering several times during the summer. After 2-3 years, when the seedlings have grown and the trunk diameter reaches about 2 cm, the trunks are cut to a height of 25-30 cm from the ground. The cut area should be covered with oil paint, white plasticine, etc. In the spring, shoots will emerge from the cut trunks - the skeletons of the future fence. Then they will be overgrown with numerous thorns - this is the time to form the fence to the height you desire.

If you buy a large number of seedlings, it will be a little expensive, but you can grow them from seeds, propagate by root cuttings, layering, and grafting.

Seeds are planted in autumn. Fresh seeds from unripe berries are soaked in water for 3-4 days. They germinate with difficulty. Seedlings need to be picked, planted in a garden bed and only transplanted to a permanent place at the age of 3-4 years.

The heart berry is the name given to the fruits of hawthorn. But they are no less useful for the brain - they improve memory and performance. Hawthorn treats both hypertension and hypotension, quickly relieves headaches and migraines. It effectively cleanses the liver, helping to reduce bad cholesterol. Good for diabetics. Regular consumption of hawthorn slows down the aging process.

5 reasons to love hawthorn

Particularly pragmatic summer residents see in this culture only an excellent “building material” for a green hedge. True romantics of dacha business value hawthorn not at all for its thorns.

Reason one

Hawthorn has been growing in my dacha for about forty years: at first there were two bushes, now there are nine. There could be much more, but there is no room for them. “How so? - you ask. “Should I plant it along the border of the property to isolate myself from the neighbors?” But I have no secrets from them, and I live friendly with them. As for hawthorn, this culture is extremely unpretentious in care. I don’t even feed it with anything at all, I only water it sometimes if the weather gets really hot. In addition, it grows normally either in the shade or in the sun, although in the latter case its fruits ripen earlier.

Therefore, you can easily vary the timing of harvesting, correlating them with your plans for its processing.

For example, I really like that on those bushes that grow in the shade, the berries ripen completely very late - when the heating is already turned on in the apartment and I can dry them on the radiator, pouring them into old tights (in such a “container” they dry very quickly). quickly and well). In winter, I brew them in a thermos and drink them at night.

Reason two

And I make compotes from hawthorn berries like this: I wash the fruits well in running water, pick off everything unnecessary from them - and immediately put it into a three-liter jar. I fill it halfway, pour boiling water over it and leave it for half an hour. Then I pour the water into a saucepan, add 150-200 g of sugar, stir and boil again. Meanwhile, I throw a pinch of citric acid into a jar of berries, and then fill it with hot syrup from the pan, roll it up and put it under the blanket to cool. For the winter I roll up 50 of these cans, and by spring they are all used up. After all, this is a royal drink!

Reason three

I also make jam from hawthorn. It turns out delicious - there are no words to describe it! And this despite the fact that no special recipe is required: I cook hawthorn berries exactly like

like the fruits of other horticultural crops. Do I need to remove the seeds? Whatever you want, it doesn’t affect the result. In winter, I take one spoon of this jam and eat it with tea or just hot water.

Reason four

And, of course, I make wine from hawthorn. For this you need only well-ripened berries, when they are, so to speak, already at their limit: soft, juicy, large. I wash them, crush them, put them in a large saucepan, fill them with cold, settled water so that it slightly covers them. I sprinkle a little sugar on top (but don’t stir!), place the pan near the radiator, cover with gauze and a lid on top. When the juice begins to ferment, I stir it several times and about five days after that, I squeeze out the berries and strain the liquid. Then I add sugar to it (at the rate of 100 g per liter) and leave it for further fermentation.

Then I filter it again and pour it into a twenty-liter bottle, again add a little sugar, put a rubber glove on the neck and leave it to ferment again. From time to time I try the juice - is it sour? – and if necessary, add sugar again. To make a tasty drink, it needs to infuse for a long time, first in a warm place and then in a cool place.

In the winter I take the bottle to the dacha, and in the spring I uncork it and enjoy the new wine. It has everything: vitamins, good sleep, great taste, and after using it the pressure was gone. Try it: very tasty and healthy!

Reason five

If one of the summer residents still wants to make a hedge out of hawthorn, then the bushes should be planted at a distance of a meter from each other. Take only young seedlings and, when they grow to 50-70 cm, cut off the tops of their heads, and then they will begin to develop not upward, but in width.

So control the height of the fence, cut off all excess.

It only remains to add that, of course, it is difficult to come up with a more convenient plant for a green fence than hawthorn. Health and good luck to all summer residents!

If anyone needs seeds, I can send them.

Hawthorn hedge

I don’t know why they write so rarely about hawthorn, because this culture, like no other, deserves attention and gratitude. Personally, it does not create any trouble for me: it is resistant to disease, blooms beautifully in the spring, and in the fall its bushes are strewn with bright crimson fruits. Next to my boyarka (as they call it in our area) viburnum, serviceberry, and barberry grow - it turned out to be a wonderful, almost forest-like corner. But in general, boyarka is one of the most unpretentious shrubs for hedges. It creates such thorny thickets that a cat cannot get through. You just need to cut it on time, otherwise you won’t be able to get through such thickets with pruning shears!

To keep the hedge dense, I advise you to plant two plants per linear meter. The boyarka hedge is very picturesque in the fall, and not only because of the berries: small leaves, unremarkable in the summer, will sparkle in the fall and turn orange-brown.

Boyarka bears fruit annually, and the berries ripen in August-October and remain on the branches for a long time. During flowering, it seems that the whole bush is buzzing - so many pollen lovers gather on it. And in winter, if the fruits are not collected in time, the birds will instantly steal all the vitamins. The berries taste sour-sweet, rich in vitamins C and P, as well as carotene. They are used for cardiac weakness, insomnia, shortness of breath, and neuroses.

I will share my favorite recipes.

Hawthorn with sugar. I blanch the prepared fruits in boiling water for 3 minutes and wipe through a colander. For 1 kg of mass I add 1/2 kg of sugar, bring to a boil and package.

Hawthorn jam. I cook the berries until they soften (1/2 cup of water for 1 cup of fruit), and when they cool down, I wipe them, mix them first with sugar (1 kg of mass 1 kg of sugar), then with the broth and boil to the desired thickness.

Hawthorn

The genus hawthorn (Crataegus L.) is diverse and amazing. Includes about 1250 species, most of them settled in North America. Our nature is not deprived of them either.

Different types of hawthorn can be found on forest edges and clearings, in open forests; in forest-steppe regions, its thickets occupy tens of hectares along the slopes of ravines and valleys.

Plant species

The well-known hawthorn (C. Monogyna Jacg.) has many magnificent garden forms: with pyramidal and weeping crowns, twisted branches (white or yellow-variegated), tricolored or red-edged leaves.

In autumn, the crown of the Almaty hawthorn bursts into clusters of dark purple apple-shaped fruits with burgundy flesh, gradually darkening to black. In its homeland, this species settles on mountain slopes and in gorges. It has taken root well here and is decorative in flowering and fruiting.

The native of the Tien Shan is unique in its picturesqueness - the Fergana hawthorn, which has settled on the banks of mountain streams and the slopes of ridges. Its impressive flowering is followed by no less outlandish fruiting.

Hawthorn – photo

Reproduction

Cultivated forms of hawthorn monopistillate do not bear fruit. They can only be propagated vegetatively. The most reliable way is vaccination and budding for wild species. If the branches are close to the ground, it is possible to get layering.

Almaty and Fergana species reproduce by seeds (seedlings bloom in the tenth year, sometimes much earlier), root (rhizoma) suckers, grafting and budding. Fruiting occurs after 5-6 years.

Healing properties

Hawthorn preparations (infusion of fruits and flowers, liquid extract from fruits) reduce the excitability of the central nervous system, have a tonic effect on the heart muscle, increase blood circulation, eliminate tachycardia and arrhythmia, improve sleep and the general condition of patients.

Simple growing rules

The best results can be achieved when growing hawthorns in deep, moderately moist, well-drained fertile heavy soils. A sunny location is a must.
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Walking through the autumn forest or along the paths of the village, you can come across a very beautiful, lush bush that is simply teeming with red berries. In addition to beauty, they have a rich supply of healing properties. These properties were known by the ancient Greeks. Planting and caring for hawthorn is extremely simple. The plant does not require any fertilizer or special care; it can be grown not only as a bush, but also as a tree or bonsai. The variety of its types allows you to decorate the garden as your heart desires.

Description of an ancient plant

The shrub comes from Ancient Greece. Today it can be found in any city, with the exception of the Far North. Over its long history, approximately 1000 species have been bred.

This plant is a deciduous, fast-growing bush; you can also find evergreen hawthorn. All species have stems that are strewn with thorns, which can be used advantageously when deciding to grow a “hedge”. Most modern people have no idea what benefits this plant can bring, and that until recently our grandmothers used it as a folk remedy for many diseases, and now the bush is grown for this purpose even on an industrial scale. Gardeners often use shrubs as a rootstock (support) for pears, rowan berries and apricots.

Botanical species of plant

The common hawthorn can be classified as a small tree or a large shrub, as it can grow up to five meters in height with brown branches. At the same time, the spines are also not small - their length ranges from 3 to 4 cm. The leaves of a small plant are only 2 cm long, while large varieties reach up to 6 cm. Their shape depends on the species and can be:

Chereshkova.
Obovate.
Broad-comorbic.
Pointed.
Broadly wedge-shaped at the base.
Three - seven-lobed.

Serrated lobes that are short-furred on the outer and inner sides. Stipules can also be of different shapes:

Oblique-heart-shaped.
Crescent.
Large ferruginous-toothed.

The flowers are small, pink or white, of which there are always five petals in an inflorescence and a diameter of 5 cm. The inflorescences have a specific smell, but it is not very pronounced. Flowering begins in May or June, and the fruits ripen in late summer.

Common types

The plant has about 1000 species, of which 15 are grown as an ornamental bush in Russian cities. It is especially beautiful in autumn when the leaves turn red-orange.
However, gardeners give preference to only a few species, such as: common, single-pistillate, green-fleshed, "Paul Scarlet", Siberian and softish.

Let's look at their description:

One-pistillate is a shrub in which old shoots are covered with gray bark, but young branches are slightly hairy, and more often bare. When the fruits ripen, they become blood red in color. Plants of this species are often used as living gates.
Soft hawthorn is a tall type of tree and has a dense spherical crown, which complements the shoots with thin spines. Particularly beautiful leaves and fruits give a decorative appearance.
Green-fleshed - a bush with white flowers and darker stamens. It is distinguished by its fruits - their color is black and the flesh is green, despite this difference the fruits have a pleasant taste.
"Paul Scarlet" is a variety in the form of a small tree, the branches of which hang gracefully. The tree grows from 3 to 6 meters. The pink color of the petals gives a special charm. The variety grows, but does not bear fruit.
Siberian - the shrub grows up to 4 m. The shoots are red-purple in color and covered with extremely thick spines. Inflorescences with a characteristic odor.

Read also: Features of growing aloe at home

Growing process

Hawthorn, planting and care are carried out according to rules established over centuries. First, let’s figure out what the optimal planting location will be for growing a lush bush.

You don’t have to rack your brains with this, because the bush is completely unpretentious. The main condition that is best met is good lighting, so it will grow and bear fruit better. It grows on any soil, even if it is dried peat, and all thanks to its strong root system. But if you want to grow a beautiful ornamental bush, and not a wild one, as in the forests, it is better to place it in fertile soil with good drainage. And if desired, you can prepare a mixture that will consist of peat, humus and sand. And first add it to the soil, and then plant the plant. Since hawthorn requires good drainage, crushed stone must be added to the soil. We have decided on the landing site, now we can proceed directly to planting in the ground.

What is the best time to grow?

In autumn, planting is carried out before the cold weather, when the bush begins to prepare for sleep. The plant cannot be replanted into the garden until the growing season is over. Because, most likely, the roots will not have time to take root before the onset of severe cold weather and the bush will die. Spring planting should also be carried out during the dormant period, but in this case weather conditions do not matter, the main thing is slightly warmed soil.
Before planting, you need to know how common hawthorn reproduces. This can be any method convenient for you, such as:

Seminal.
Layering.
With the help of vaccinations.
Root sprouts.

However, it is worth considering that the seeds of the plant grow rather slowly, and in some varieties they germinate only the next year. The seed planting method is not recommended for unusual forms, but exclusively for those species and varieties that are common in central Russia.

The decorative shrub is suitable as a graft on a trunk no more than one and a half meters high. If you want to grow certain types of plants in the garden, then to do this you will need to graft it onto rowan or hawthorn seedlings, since when planted using seeds there is a high probability that they will lose their varietal qualities.

Read also: Elwoodi cypress: nuances of care and reproduction

In early spring, during the period of sap flow, it is most optimal to graft cuttings. And the fruits will appear after two years. Cuttings from actively growing, green parts are used extremely rarely, for the simple reason that they practically do not take root.

But common hawthorn reproduces very easily by root sprouts. To do this, you just need to dig up the rhizomes in the fall, clear them of soil and cut them into pieces approximately 10 cm long. The best root thickness is considered to be 20 cm. The cut cuttings are placed in the holes, with the thick side facing up and at a slight angle. They fit only 2 cm deep. Cultivation must take place in a greenhouse or greenhouse. Cuttings need care, this applies to the soil in which the cutting grows - it should not be allowed to dry out. And you can replant the site in early spring.

The method of propagation by layering is actively used. However, this method is allowed only if a full-fledged shrub is already growing on the site. So, having a bush, you need to lay the side shoots located close to the ground under the ground, it is not necessary to lay them completely - it is enough to partially place them in the soil. These shoots take root quite quickly and no less well. When using vertical layering, you can get a lot of seedlings. To do this, you need to fill the lower part of the bush with soil. It is filled in before the distribution of branches begins. After some time, each branch takes root, and then it can be separated from the mother bush. Thus, you choose a method that is convenient for you. The planting of the hawthorn was successful, but this should not end there. You should familiarize yourself with the rules for further care.

Shrub care after planting

For optimal development of the plant, it is necessary to carefully monitor its appearance. When dry branches appear, they need to be pruned, as they interfere with the development of other branches. Caring for the bush consists of removing weeds, loosening the soil and updating the mulch. Common hawthorn has a deep root system. The peculiarity of its transplantation is that, unlike the abundance of other plants, it takes root better when young, up to 5 years. But after this mark, when the shrub grows in one place for so many years, its roots become very long and strong, but at the same time they are easily damaged during replanting and then the shrub may die.

Common hawthorn can be pruned, thereby creating the shape you intended, but it is better if the shape of the bush is preserved. To do this, you just need to leave a few shoots (no more than 7) and when cutting the shoots, maintain a height of about two meters.
Despite the fact that common hawthorn is resistant to unfavorable climates, it is negatively affected by drought and pollution.
During periods with normal humidity, it is enough to water the shrub abundantly no more than once every month. But during drought periods, watering should be increased to three times a month.

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If you are growing an ornamental bush, then caring for it has some features. And in winter it needs to be covered with a fairly dense layer (about 10 cm) of leaves in order to preserve the root system from freezing. To prevent the branches from frostbite, the young plant should be covered during the cold period. Old bushes, after 5 years, do not need to be covered; they are already able to withstand cold weather.
For prevention, in the spring, before the buds open, you need to spray the plant with Bordeaux mixture, a 3 or 5% solution.
So, having found out what kind of care garden hawthorn requires, let’s move on to its pests.

Harmful insects

Even with the necessary care, when the common hawthorn grows and develops normally, it is possible to notice vermin or diseases on it. The most common disease is rust. If you find infected branches, they should be removed as quickly as possible, after which the infected planting should be treated with Bordeaux mixture. But such spraying will not harm a healthy plant; this procedure can be carried out for preventive purposes.
Hawthorn is also susceptible to pests such as mites - they are common among harmful insects. If shoots are affected, they also need to be pruned, but not as urgently as with rust, so branches are pruned in autumn or spring. And the entire planting should be treated with colloidal sulfur. However, if it is severely affected, the sulfur treatment must be repeated after flowering.

Growing a bush can be beneficial for health

They began to plant hawthorn back in ancient Rus', then they made amulets and talismans from it, made up legends, and at the same time they began to grow it on their plots for medicinal purposes. Even then it was known that these were not just berries, but fruits that helped with high blood pressure, rapid heartbeat, and the drugs selectively dilate blood vessels and reduce irritation. They also improve metabolic processes, sleep and overall health. It is thanks to its numerous beneficial properties that the cultivation of hawthorn has now reached a new level - now it grows on huge plantations.

So, we have come to the end, having learned everything about hawthorn, we can conclude that caring for and growing it is a pleasant process, and even gives a useful result! By devoting a little time to your plantings, you will get a highlight of the garden that will delight and heal you and your loved ones.

In Europe and especially in England, hawthorn hedges are an absolute favorite. A shrub with a uniquely dense crown is truly ideal for creating green fences. But hawthorns also have other advantages. Romantic and spectacular flowering and beautiful fruits will decorate any garden. And the endurance and unpretentiousness of hawthorns still have no equal.

Hawthorn is a familiar plant that never goes out of fashion.

Hawthorn is a large garden shrub, which in our country is considered completely ordinary and typical. But there is nothing wrong with the fact that the appearance of hawthorns is familiar to everyone and has been used for centuries. After all, it is difficult to find a more reliable candidate for the role of garden decoration, as well as a better plant for creating background and dense plantings.

The scientific name of hawthorn - Crataegus - directly reflects the hardness of its wood (from "krataios" - "strong"). Even the thorns of the hawthorn are so strong that they can pierce almost any shoe, and in the old days they were used instead of nails. Thanks to the most noticeable, species-defining and unique part of this plant in Europe, hawthorn is simply called thorn.

Representatives of the genus Crataegus are deciduous and semi-evergreen shrubs, less often trees with a dense crown. Despite the fact that hawthorns are often pruned, giving them more compact silhouettes or walls, they remain neat and strict even without shaping. In nature, the maximum height of bushes is not limited to 5-7 m, but in the garden, hawthorns are bushes with an average height of 2 - 3 meters, with rare exceptions. Hawthorn is able to surprise with its neat and beautiful crown of a round or cone shape, which is naturally quite dense.

The shoots are purple-red, very beautiful, of varying degrees of pricklyness. The graceful leaves of the hawthorn can be either whole or lobed; they show off a dark green color in the summer, but they have prepared the main show for the fall, when the usual outfit gives way to an orange-red fire.

The spines of hawthorns are modified shoots; at the beginning of development they are small and with tiny leaves, after the loss of which the spines change green color and become more and more durable. In North American species, spines grow up to 5-9 cm, in rare cases - even up to 12 cm; in most European hawthorns they are absent or do not exceed 2-3 cm. The unusually sharp and large spines of hawthorn not only complicate working with the plant , but also require special care when moving near bushes: any shoes for hawthorn thorns are not a barrier.

The flowering period of hawthorns usually occurs in May and June. White or pink flowers are collected in corymbs. Despite the fact that the flowers are small, up to 3 cm in diameter, they sit in dense shields and the bush seems much more lush.

Among the hawthorns there are varieties with double flowers. All hawthorns, without exception, are characterized by beautiful stamens and anthers. Hawthorn blooms profusely and very impressively, before the leaves bloom, but the aroma of the inflorescences is rather unpleasant and repulsive.

After flowering, hawthorns do not always annually produce not only beautiful, but also edible fruits that stay on the branches for more than 2 months. Large, round, pear-shaped or elongated berries of hawthorns are traditionally associated with an orange-red color, but in different species the berries can be purple, black, or yellow. The fruits contain up to 5 triangular hard seeds, and they are located at the top of the fruit. The size of the fruit varies from a few millimeters to almost 3 cm. Hawthorns bear fruit from the age of 8-10 years.

Types and varieties of hawthorns

In nature, hawthorns are very widely represented. The genus Crataegus includes more than a thousand species of shrubs found only in the northern hemisphere, within temperate and partially subtropical climate zones. Among the hawthorns there are both plants that are radically different from each other, as well as strikingly similar and difficult to distinguish species.

To facilitate recognition in landscape design, it is customary to separate Eurasian and North American hawthorns. The former are characterized by deeply lobed leaves and small or absent spines. North American hawthorns have entire or slightly lobed leaves. These are shrubs with very large and strong spines. North American species today are considered more decorative and promising.

The most common type of hawthorn is still common hawthorn, or hawthorn prickly (Crataegus laevigata). Wind and gas resistant, affordable and very common, it is one of the most versatile garden shrubs. This hawthorn traditionally blooms in May-June. The leaves with 3-5 lobes are bright and glossy, the shoots are prickly. The common hawthorn is characterized by a neat oval crown. The flowers are not only white, but also bright pink; different varieties have different bark layers.

This hawthorn today offers a choice between different varieties and interesting shapes. For example, the variety “Paul Scarlett” with raspberry-pink double flowers is very popular. Decorative forms are even more common - white-pink Bicolor and red Pauli, golden form with yellow fruits and oak-leaved with leaves decorated with round lobes.

Flowering of the common hawthorn "Paul's Scarlet" (Crataegus laevigata 'Paul's Scarlet')

Hawthorn blood red, or bloody hawthorn (Crataegus sanguinea) - a spectacular hawthorn with very beautiful flowering. Its spines are large, up to 4 cm, but they are located very rarely. The flowers are white, with purple anthers. The fruits are blood-red spherical berries drooping on thin stalks. No less than flowering and fruits, this shrub is decorated with brown bark, a few straight spines, and bright leaves flaunting shallow blades.

Hawthorn softish, or semi-soft hawthorn (Crataegus submollis) is one of the best North American species. Orange fruits with very tasty pulp are a pleasant bonus for those who choose this species to grow in their garden. The plant has very thin spines, densely shedding branches, the crown is almost perfectly round in silhouette, amazingly thick. The leaves are bright and whole, turning dazzling red in the fall.

One of the most popular types of hawthorn is hawthorn monopolyta (Crataegus monogyna). This is a large classic species with a height of 2 m, has a very dense crown and can easily tolerate strong formation. The shoots are densely spaced. The bush blooms profusely in May and June. The flowers of this hawthorn are white and pinkish, pink anthers on the stamens give the plant an unusual charm. The fruits are light red and are considered valuable medicinal raw materials. The single-pistillate hawthorn has many decorative forms - pyramidal pink, white terry, white-variegated, thornless, red terry, continuously flowering, crimson, weeping, split-leaved, etc., as well as a number of hybrid varieties.

Green meat hawthorn (Crataegus chlorosarca) can compete with semi-soft in the density and density of the crown. This is a very beautiful plant with short spines, snow-white flowers and almost black tasty fruits. Gray bark and purple shoots, ovate leaves with shallow lobes and dense inflorescences with dark anthers make this plant stand out from any other hawthorn. This is a highly decorative species with atypical gray-black colors, which always attracts the eye.

Dahurian hawthorn (Crataegus dahurica) is a very decorative species with graceful, medium-sized leaves and a compact crown size. Most often it develops in the form of a low tree with gray bark, reddish shoots with medium-sized spines and lanceolate-diamond-shaped, deeply lobed leaves, creating an elegant crown. White flowers with purple anthers look very delicate. Centimeter-long, spherical fruits of bright red color appear already from the age of six.

Universal in its decorative effect, suitable for solo parts and for hedges, original pinnately cut hawthorn (Crataegus pinnatifida). This is a spectacular spreading shrub with dark gray bark, very sparse thorns and medium-sized pinnately dissected leaves with a bright color. The fruits of the plant are decorated with warts, and the bush itself looks unusually picturesque and elegant.

Has the largest spines large-thorned hawthorn, or hawthorn macroanther (Crataegus macracantha), making it an ideal candidate for creating impenetrable hedges. Spines up to 12 cm long and a very dense crown are combined with light bark, shallow-lobed dark leaves, which are famous for their yellow-red autumn color and ability to persist longer than other species. Bright large fruits glow against the background of foliage; they are somewhat dry and less tasty, but very impressive in appearance.

Today it is very popular hawthorn Lavalierie (Crataegus x lavalleei), in particular, its most popular variety “Carrierei”, which in catalogs is even called a separate variety - hawthorn Carrieri. White-pink May flowering and bright orange-scarlet fruits look extremely impressive.

Among the controversial hybrids is one that is very popular among us. hawthorn morden (Crataegus x mordenensis) - a shrub with double flowers that change bright pink to white, and has thornless shoots. This hybrid does not bear fruit, but is considered a beautiful flowering variety.

Of the very large species of hawthorn, it is worth paying attention to the following:

hawthorn vattiana (Crataegus wattiana) - a luxurious shrub or tree up to 6-8 m high with a few thorns, bluish foliage and complex shields of white inflorescences, surprising with yellow balls of fruit;
hawthorn fanata (Crataegus flabellata) - a species with upright growing shoots, large curved spines, ovoid, fan-shaped leaf blades with a serrated edge, snow-white flowers and bright red fruits;
Douglas hawthorn (Crataegus douglasii) - a species with beautiful dark bark, without thorns, with irregularly lobed dark leaves, white shields of inflorescences and purple-black fruits up to 1 cm in diameter, captivating with its shade tolerance;
Maksimovich's hawthorn (Crataegus maximowiczii) with gray-brown branches, without thorns, with ovate leaves and large red fruits.

In the southern regions, it is worth paying attention to a species with original foliage that is not winter-hardy enough for the middle zone - pear hawthorn (Crataegus phaenopyrum) - a species with original, viburnum-like leaves, straight five-centimeter spines and red fruits, the diameter of which is slightly more than 0.5 cm.

The use of hawthorns in ornamental gardening

It is not for nothing that hawthorns have gained a reputation as universal garden shrubs. They are suitable for landscaping large, medium or small areas. Their bushes never look too bulky or, conversely, inconspicuous.

Hawthorns are used as:

berry bush, a plant with bright, attractive fruits;
deciduous shrub with a spectacular autumn crown,
beautiful flowering plant.

Hawthorns are equally good as individual plants or in groups of varying sizes and densities. Plants are grown as shrubs, in tree and standard form.

Hawthorns are used in garden design:

in impassable hedges of landscape or strict type;
in the undergrowth and forest edge;
in the alleys,
as a background shrub;
in groups with evergreen and landscape species;
for curly haircuts and placing accents and introducing strict soloists;
in the background there are large ridges and flower beds;
for wind protection, camouflage and creating screens.

Hawthorns attract honey insects to the garden, filling it with the cheerful buzzing of bees. And birds are very fond of this bush: they not only feast on the fruits of the plant, but also happily use it to reliably cover their nests.

Hawthorn is a valuable berry bush. The fruits of the plant are edible in all species, but usually only large, tasty and fleshy fruits of just a few species are considered as medicinal and nutritious. Berries not only decorate the garden, but are also used in cooking. They are harvested as they ripen, from August, but the most delicious harvest can be obtained after the first frost.

Conditions required for hawthorns

The reputation of the hawthorn as an unpretentious shrub, which even novice gardeners can grow, has been proven by centuries of practice in garden design in a variety of climatic zones. Hawthorns surprise with their undemanding nature and resistance to adverse conditions and polluted environments.

For hawthorns, it is important to provide sufficient lighting: shading negatively affects both flowering and fruiting of the plant. If hawthorn is grown not for its fruits, but mainly for its dense crown (especially if it is planted to create dense hedges), then the plants can be considered shade-tolerant.

For hawthorns you need to choose high-quality and loose soil. This shrub thrives in both loam and sandy loam, is not afraid of the polluted environment of urban conditions, and tolerates gas pollution well. Fertile, fresh or moist soils are best for hawthorns, but in general the plant survives in almost any conditions, except extreme ones. The soil reaction is preferably alkaline; hawthorn does not like acidic soils.

Planting hawthorn

Hawthorns, even in regions with harsh winters, can be planted both in the spring, as soon as the soil warms up, and in the fall, at least a month and a half before the arrival of stable frosts. Hawthorns are recommended to be planted in a permanent place at the age of two, because older plants take root worse, and one-year-old seedlings need more careful care.

Hawthorns are placed at a distance of 1 to 2 m for decorative groups and from 15 to 50 cm for hedges. Single-growing bushes can be placed at a distance of 3 m from neighboring crops, but usually such a distance is left only when growing tree-like forms of hawthorns, which are used as tall tapeworms in large gardens.

Planting holes must be prepared in advance. For this shrub, large planting pits with a depth and width of about 70 cm are prepared. It is better to replace the excavated soil with a special substrate, mixing humus and leaf soil with sand, peat and compost and increasing the alkaline reaction by adding lime. It is better to lay a drainage layer of crushed stone or brick chips at the bottom of the planting holes. Before planting, the planting holes are saturated with water.

Pruning of seedlings is carried out only if the plants are used for hedges. It is carried out in the same way for ordinary hawthorns and when tall or tree-like hawthorns are used, which over time lose their bushy shape and do not produce a large number of shoots. Such plants are planted “on the stump” to stimulate crown thickening: they are cut to a height of 10-15 cm, stimulating the growth of strong skeletal shoots.

Hawthorns are planted using the standard method. Plants are installed so that the root collar remains flush with the soil after the soil shrinks. Planting is completed with abundant watering and mulching of the soil.

Caring for hawthorns

The need for watering of shrubs is directly determined by the type of plant. Moisture-loving species and varieties must be watered regularly to ensure stable soil moisture. Watering for capricious plants is carried out rarely, but systematically. One watering once a month with deep soaking of the soil is enough, but twice as frequent water procedures in the summer. Drought-resistant hawthorns do not need watering. But several such procedures at the budding stage and after flowering will help the plants produce a more abundant harvest.

Hawthorns are content with minimal feeding. For these shrubs, it is enough to carry out one fertilizing in early spring to provide the plant with all the necessary nutrients. For hawthorn, complete mineral fertilizers are used in the amount of 100-120 g per square meter of planting. At the beginning of summer, the plant can be additionally fed with any organic fertilizer. If hawthorn is grown for the sake of the most abundant harvest possible, then it is better to carry out three feedings - with full mineral fertilizers in the spring, with potassium-phosphorus fertilizers - at the beginning of flowering and after the start of fruiting.

Hawthorns do not like compacted soils, so it is better to include regular loosening of the soil in the bush care program. It is usually combined with weeding, carrying out light loosening to a shallow depth (up to 10 cm) throughout the season. High-quality aeration or digging of the soil with a shovel is carried out along the perimeter of the tree trunk once a year - in early spring or autumn. Mulching will help simplify plant care. For hawthorns it is not necessary to use special mulch: even simple soil or peat with a layer of 3-4 cm will do.

Despite their status as a resistant plant, hawthorns can suffer significantly from specific and fruit pests, powdery mildew and rust. Fruit sawflies, mites, scale insects, mealybugs, weevils and other pests of apple, maple and cherry trees are often found on hawthorns. Rust or powdery mildew and various types of spotting are combated with highly specialized fungicides. For pests, it is better to carry out preventive treatments with insecticides simultaneously with fruit plants.

Pruning and shaping hawthorn

This shrub perfectly tolerates any forming and is considered one of the “dense” shrubs for any hedges - both landscape and formal. The ability for enhanced shoot formation allows you to change the shape and control the size of hawthorns as you wish.

There is only one mandatory pruning for hawthorns - sanitary cleaning. In the spring, damaged, dry, unproductive shoots are removed from the plant, like any other shrub.

Formation is carried out depending on the desired shape and contours: both to create a strict silhouette and for a hedge, shoots can be cut to 1/3 of their length. In hedges, initial shaping is carried out: the next year after planting, the shoots stimulated by strong pruning are removed, leaving the two strongest ones. Subsequently, the shoots are intertwined and cut to the desired shape.

Wintering hawthorns

Most types of hawthorns are winter-hardy plants that do not need winter protection. It is advisable to provide decorative varieties and forms of any hawthorn with light shelter for the winter, protecting the roots that are prone to protrusion and are located high. A high mulching layer of dry leaves up to 10 cm high is suitable as a protective layer. Species hawthorns, with the exception of low-winter-hardy southern species, will not need shelter. In prickly hawthorn, flower buds and shoots often freeze, but the plant recovers well.

Hawthorn propagation

The availability of planting material and low prices for hawthorn seedlings are largely explained by the ease of their propagation. The more striking characteristics a variety has, the larger the flowers and berries it produces, the more expensive the cost of planting material. Independent propagation of hawthorn requires patience, because the plants bear fruit only after eight years of age, but it is not too complicated in its methods.

The easiest way to get a new generation of hawthorns is vegetative. Layers of hawthorns take root well. It is enough to hill up the base of the bushes or fix individual branches in the soil and regularly water the plants to speed up rooting, and the next year you can plant independent plants.

Other methods are also used for reproduction.:

separation of root suckers;
rooting of root cuttings (a root about 2 cm thick is divided into fragments about 10 cm long and rooted like ordinary cuttings - buried 7-8 cm into the soil and maintaining high humidity using a cover-cap);
grafting of varietal plants and ornamental forms onto rootstocks of hardy hawthorns (for example, common, thorny and monopistillate).

Growing from seeds is not difficult, but the process of growing plants is very long. It will take up to 2 years for the plant to sprout, and the stratification period for different types of hawthorns ranges from 6 to 12 months. Many of the plant’s seeds are empty; the germination rate is quite low, about 50%. Hawthorn is sown before winter, and for sowing, freshly harvested seeds of unripe fruits are used, in which the shell around the seeds has not yet completely hardened. The fruits are soaked in water for several days, and then rubbed through a sieve and the seeds are washed to remove any remaining pulp. The seeds are pickled during the day in a solution of a growth stimulant or potassium nitrate of one percent concentration.

Sowing of seeds is carried out before winter in large boxes or greenhouses. The seeds of the plant are sown very densely. The crops are covered with soil and a layer of dry leaves on top. In spring, hawthorn seedlings are almost indistinguishable from apple tree seedlings; they are very small. During the first year, the plants grow slowly, reaching a height of only 10 cm only with constant care. To grow them into the beds, they are transplanted the next year. In addition to watering and other care, they begin to carry out formation, cutting off all shoots that have reached a height of 50-60 cm to the level of the second or third bud from the bottom in order to stimulate the growth of lateral branches. During the entire period of growing, the plants are controlled by shortening the main shoots and leaving only 2 side shoots, removing excess shoots and forming the base of the bush from strong branches.