2024 Author: Gavin MacAdam | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 13:38
Hawthorn (lat. Crataegus) - a genus of deciduous or semi-evergreen shrubs or small trees of the Pink family. The culture got its name due to its strong and hard wood and the ability to develop and bear fruit for hundreds of years. Under natural conditions, hawthorn grows in the temperate zone of the Northern Hemisphere, mainly in Eurasia and North America. Hawthorns are found in group or single plantings, located along the edges, in clearings, clearings, talus or sparse forests.
Characteristics of culture
Hawthorn is a deciduous or semi-evergreen multi-stemmed shrub or tree 3-12 m high with a dense crown of a round, spherical, ovoid or asymmetric shape. The bark is fissured or unevenly ribbed, gray or brown in color. Some species have a bark with exfoliating medium-sized plates. The branches are straight, weeping or curved, rather strong.
Young shoots are densely pubescent, tomentose or glabrous, purple-red. Most species are equipped with spines, which are modified shoots. Spines develop from axillary buds simultaneously with leaves in the lower part of the shoots. As a rule, the thorns are leafless, reaching 0.5-10 cm in length.
Leaves are whole, pinnately incised, lobed or dissected, serrate or toothed, glabrous or pubescent, petiolar or sessile, ovoid, obovate, round, rhombic or elliptical in shape. The leaves are arranged spirally, often twisted at the tips of short shoots. Leaves on long shoots are larger than on short ones. Stipules are early falling. In autumn, the leaves of most species turn orange, golden, brown and purple.
The flowers are white or red, collected in complex umbellate and corymbose inflorescences. There are species with single flowers. Sepals are tomentose, densely pubescent or glabrous, falling off or remaining with fruits. The fruit is a small apple, 0.5-4 cm in diameter. Fruits can be spherical, pear-shaped or elongated. Fruits contain from 1 to 5 large triangular seeds with a hard stony shell. You can get up to 50 kg from one tree.
Growing conditions
The culture does not impose special requirements for growing conditions and site location. Hawthorn is a light-loving culture, but partial shade will not become an obstacle to the development of shrubs and trees. Full shade has a detrimental effect on crops. Since the hawthorn has a well-developed root system, it takes root even on steep slopes. Drained, moderately moist, fertile and heavy soils are optimal for the culture. The hawthorn accepts limed soils.
Reproduction and planting
Hawthorn is propagated by seeds, layering and root suckers, and cultivated species - by grafting. The seed method is quite laborious. Seeds require long-term stratification (up to 7-8 months). Winter sowing is not prohibited, while in the first year about 20-30% germinates, the next year - another 50-60%. The germination rate can be increased precisely due to the stratification of seeds. Hawthorn is cut very poorly, reproduction by layering and offspring is most acceptable for culture. Cultural forms are propagated by grafting, common hawthorn (lat. Crataegus laevigata) and hawthorn (lat. Crataegus monogyna) are used as a stock.
Most gardeners grow hawthorn by planting three, four or five year old seedlings. They are planted in early spring or autumn, but a couple of months before the onset of stable frosts. Before planting, the roots of the seedling are dipped in a clay mash with the addition of potassium permanganate and a small amount of manure. The depth of the planting hole should be about 60-70 cm, and the width - 50-60 cm. When planting, the root collar should not be buried. The soil in the near-trunk zone is compacted tightly, watered abundantly and mulched with peat.
Care
Hawthorn care consists of systematic watering, weeding, dressing and sanitary pruning. Watering is abundant, at the root. Young plants need high humidity; the soil in the near-trunk zone should not be allowed to dry out. The soil must be saturated to a depth of at least 50 cm. Often, the crop is attacked by pests and diseases. The most dangerous for plants are hawthorn, goldtail, apple honeydew, comma-shaped worm, apple aphid, ringed silkworm. Among the diseases, powdery mildew should be noted. To combat pests and diseases, herbal infusions, as well as permitted insecticides, should be used.
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Harmful Hawthorn
The hawthorn, actively damaging various fruit crops, is most often found in the forest-steppe and woodlands. Her taste preferences include apple and pear, mountain ash, blackthorn, apricots with plums, bird cherry and, of course, hawthorn. But this scoundrel damages cherries with cherries to a much lesser extent. Caterpillars are especially harmful in the spring, mercilessly gnawing swelling and opening buds. As for the leaves, only coarse veins remain of them - all their other parts
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The issue of creating hedges is of interest to many advanced summer residents. Indeed, it is beautiful, rational and prestigious. Choosing a hawthorn, you will receive not only a decorative ornament, but also reliable protection from the penetration of animals and unwanted visitors. Consider planting schemes, care and haircut
Altai Hawthorn
Altai hawthorn (lat.Crataegus altaica) - a representative of the genus Hawthorn of the Pink family. In nature, it grows in groups or singly on rocky areas, in river floodplains and chalk hills in Central and Central Asia. Characteristics of culture Altai hawthorn is a tree up to 4-6 m high (less often up to 8 m) with bare red-brown shoots covered with whitish lenticels.
Hawthorn Daurian
Hawthorn daurian (lat.Crataegus dahurica) - a representative of the genus Hawthorn of the Pink family. Natural area - the Far East, Southeast Siberia, Mongolia and North China. Typical locations are river banks, forest edges, mountain slopes, flood meadows and undergrowth of mixed and deciduous forests.
Large-anthered Hawthorn
Large-anthered hawthorn (lat.Crataegus macracantha) - a representative of the genus Hawthorn of the Pink family. Another name is large-thorn hawthorn. Natural range - North America. It grows near rivers and lakes, on slopes and in areas with rich calcareous soils.
