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 Hawthorn - Definition 

For other uses, see Hawthorn (disambiguation).
Hawthorn
Common hawthorn
Common Hawthorn (Crataegus monogyna)
Scientific classification
Kingdom:Plantae
Division:Magnoliophyta
Class:Magnoliopsida
Order:Rosales
Family:Rosaceae
Family:Maloideae
Genus:Crataegus
Species

See text.


Hawthorn is the name of a large group of shrubs and small trees in the genus Crataegus, family Rosaceae, characterized by their small, apple-like fruits and thorny branches. The fruits are sometimes known as 'haws', from which the name derived. The original name was applied to the species native to northern Europe, especially the Common Hawthorn, C. monogyna, but is now applied to the entire genus. They are native to the temperate northern hemisphere. The number of species in the group may extend to a thousand or more, though some botanists would reduce the number of species considerably.

Common Hawthorn (close up of flowers)
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Common Hawthorn (close up of flowers)

Hawthorns provide food and shelter for many species of birds and mammals, and the flowers are important for many nectar-feeding insects. The leaves are sometimes eaten by the larvae of Lepidoptera species including Emperor Moth and Common Emerald.

In Celtic lore, the hawthorn plant was used commonly for rune inscriptions along with Yew and Apple. It was once said to heal the broken heart.

Many species and hybrids are used as ornamental and street trees. The Common Hawthorn is extensively used in Europe as a hedge plant. Several cultivars of the Midland Hawthorn C. laevigata have been selected for their pink or red flowers. Hawthorns are among the trees most recommended for water-conservation landscapes.

The flowers of Common Hawthorn (C. monogyna)
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The flowers of Common Hawthorn (C. monogyna)

Species

The species include the following;


da:Tjørn (Crataegus) de:Weißdorn fr:Aubépine officinale nl:Meidoorn

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This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "Hawthorn".