Crataegus monogyna Variegata - Hawthorn

The Crataegus monogyna 'Variegata' is a very hardy and undemanding variety of Hawthorn, with medium growth, distinguished by its variegated green foliage edged with cream white. Ideal for small spaces, this small tree brightens up spring with its beautiful white flowers. It also produces small red fruits that will persist throughout the winter and delight birds and wildlife. It thrives best in fertile and well-drained soil, neutral or slightly alkaline, and does not tolerate overly dry or wet soils.

The Crataegus monogyna, known as Common Hawthorn or White Thorn, is a species native to central and Southern Europe where it grows in deciduous or mixed forests, in open woods, on edges or even in open ground (meadows). This ornamental plant is ideal for hedges. It belongs to the Rosaceae family, just like the wild rose and the plum tree. It is a thorny bush with a long lifespan, with very hard wood, reaching 10 m in height and 6 m in spread at maturity, with a bushy and dense habit. The term Crataegus comes from the Greek cratos meaning: resistant. In the past, Hawthorn wood was used to cut logs for the execution of convicts. Monogyna comes from the Greek monos, meaning: single, unique, and gunaikos, meaning: with a single ovary or a single style. This specificity distinguishes it from the Crataegus laevigata which has 2 or 3 styles (pistils) and therefore 2 or 3 stones in the fruit. In Brittany where it is very common, it is called spern gwen, which means white thorn because of its light wood, which distinguishes it from spern du which refers to blackthorn or Sloe (Prunus spinosa) with its black wood.

The 'Variegata' variety has been selected for the beauty and originality of its variegated foliage. With normal growth, it forms a small tree with an upright and spreading habit, in a bushy tuft, reaching a height of 3 to 4 m and a spread of 2 to 3 m. When young, the bark of the branches is smooth, brown, reddish, as it ages, it becomes scaly and darker. The plant produces several types of branches. Some are long with many leaves, others are shorter and leafless, forming a thorn, and others are of intermediate length, about ten centimetres long, with leaves and ending in a thorn. The leaves and flowers appear almost simultaneously, in April. Its deciduous foliage is alternate, composed of simple, ovate leaves, 2 to 5 cm long, with 3, 5 or 7 toothed lobes. They are dark green, with a wide cream white variegation, taking on autumnal shades of red-orange. Its fragrant single flowers are clustered in small bouquets of 6 to 12 flowers, 10 to 20 mm in diameter, usually white, but sometimes white-pink. The flower corollas consist of 5 rounded petals and numerous stamens with light pink anthers turning purple, surrounding a single style, enclosing an ovary that will produce a single seed. In September-October, the shiny red fruits, ovoid, about 10 mm long and 5 to 8 mm in diameter, called haws, appear. They are inedible for humans, but highly appreciated by birds.

Good to know: The Common Hawthorn hybridises with the Crataegus laevigata (Midland Hawthorn). It is a tree that was traditionally associated with May 1st, especially in Touraine. It was used as a calming agent to treat gout and pleurisy in the Middle Ages. Be careful with overdosing, as it can cause cardiovascular disorders. Its wood is used for heating, formerly for metal parts and in small carpentry.

The White Thorn is a very robust and resistant shrub, able to withstand winter temperatures down to -30°C. It adapts to a wide range of soils as long as they are well-drained, but not too dry, even alkaline. It will thrive in a sunny or semi-shaded position, and a balanced pruning in February will be sufficient. With its moderate growth, this shrub integrates well into any type of garden, whether as a standalone specimen or in a border. Resistant to pollution and sea spray, it is an excellent option for urban gardens or coastal regions. It will bring refinement and elegance to your space. It can be planted in an ecological hedge, with pyracanthas, ornamental apple trees, cotoneasters, wild pear tree, quince tree, or European spindle for example. This way, it will provide shelter and food for many insects, birds, and small mammals.