Crataegus laevigata in white and red
To give you a brief overview in advance: Hawthorn varieties are red-flowering hawthorn varieties. They differ mainly in the following points:
- Flower color and shape
- Fruiting
- Use in the garden
also read
- The fruits of the hawthorn
- Create a hawthorn as a hedge
- Why doesn't the hawthorn bloom?
Flower differences
Crataegus laevigata is the name of the two-pronged hawthorn in botanical terminology. And this is what we primarily refer to when differentiating between hawthorn and hawthorn. The name hawthorn alone makes things complicated: that’s what it’s about not a clear denomination of the variety, but an umbrella term for all red flowers Crataegus varieties. And there are de facto red-flowered variants of the single-action hawthorn, the Crataegus monogyna.
However, only the cultivated form 'Paul's Scarlet' of the two-pronged hawthorn is regarded as a real hawthorn. It has the typical, three- to five-fold lobed leaves of its white-flowering cultivar and delights with small, rose-like, double panicle flowers in a fresh carmine red. Other hawthorn varieties also have single flowers. Hawthorns also have panicle inflorescences, but are unfilled.
In this one we see a further differentiation of the approximately 200 to 300 variants of hawthorns and red thorns Article from - the very self-hybridizing Crataegus genus poses challenges for even botanists Species identification.
More or less fruiting
Apart from the most obvious difference in flower shape and color, red thorn and hawthorn also contrast with each other when it comes to fruit formation. The hawthorn had to leave some stamens for the greater abundance and color of petals that were cultivated - the result is less fertilization potential. Even if the red flower umbels are very attractive to insects, they rarely produce fruits and if they do, then only sparingly.
The hawthorn, on the other hand, really impresses with its brick-red, floury, sweet and sour apple fruits, which are well suited for processing into puree, jam or juice. Because of the slightly sour taste, a combination with sweeter fruit is recommended.
Use depending on habitus
The hawthorn is often planted as a solitary in gardens and parks not only because of its more conspicuous flower color, but also because of its somewhat higher, tree-like growth. Hawthorns, on the other hand, are mainly used as a hedge plant, for which they are ideal because of their richly branched and thorny character.
