Shrubs🌿 Native to the NetherlandsVery hardy — tolerates frost down to -30°C

Midland hawthorn

Crataegus laevigata

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Midland hawthorn (Crataegus laevigata) is an originally native, deciduous, thorny shrub or small tree. It naturally grows in light deciduous forests, woodland edges, scrub, old hedges, hedgerows, stream valleys, and along waterways. It thrives primarily on humic, moderately nutrient-rich clay, loam, loess, and calcareous soils. The shallowly lobed, somewhat glossy leaves help distinguish it from the Common hawthorn. In May and June, white flowers appear, typically with two or three styles and purplish anthers. Blooming usually begins slightly earlier than that of the Common hawthorn. In autumn, small dark red hawthorn fruits containing two or three seeds ripen. The species is suitable for native hedges, bird-friendly thickets, woodland edges, hedgerows, and larger wildlife-friendly gardens. Its dense, thorny growth also makes it ideal for use as a natural property boundary.

Year calendar

	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
🌸Blooms
🐝Provides nectar
🍓Bears fruit
🍂Has autumn colour

Pruning period

✂️Best pruning period: Jan, Feb, Nov, Dec

	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
✂️ Pruning period

Best pruning period

A free-growing Midland hawthorn requires little pruning. In winter, only remove dead, damaged, or crossing branches. A hedge can be trimmed in late autumn or winter, but ensure sufficient flower- and fruit-bearing branches remain. Never prune while birds are nesting in the shrub, and sanitize pruning tools thoroughly due to the plant's susceptibility to fire blight.

Botanical profile

Site & soil

Sun, Half shade

Soil type: Clay, Loam, Sand, Humus-rich

Moisture need: Moderately moist, Dry, Moist

pH: Neutral (6.5–7.5), Chalky (>7.5), Slightly acidic (5.5–6.5)

Nutrient richness: Moderately nutrient-rich, Nutrient-rich

Humus content: Moderately humus-rich, Humus-rich, Humus-poor

Water drainage: Well draining, Moisture-retentive

Appearance & season

Mature height: 150-600cm

Bloom: Apr

Autumn colour: The leaves turn yellow, yellow-orange, or bronze before falling in autumn. The autumn color is usually subtle and can vary depending on the location and individual plant.

Properties

Salt sensitive: Yes

Edible: The ripe red fruit flesh is edible and has a mild, sweet-and-sour, mealy, and slightly astringent taste. The fruits can be processed into jelly, jam, chutney, sauce, or wine. Remove the hard seeds and do not eat or crush them, as the seeds contain harmful compounds.

Scent: The white flowers have a strong, sweet-heavy scent that some find unpleasant, sometimes comparing it to fermenting or decaying matter. This distinct odor helps attract flies, hoverflies, beetles, bees, and other pollinating insects.

Ecological value

Midland hawthorn is an important host plant for the caterpillars of various moths and micro-moths. Aphids, true bugs, beetles, gall mites, and other insects also live on the leaves, flowers, twigs, and fruits. These insects, in turn, provide food for birds and other insectivores. The flowers provide nectar and pollen to bees, bumblebees, hoverflies, beetles, and other flower visitors. The red fruits are eaten in autumn and winter by thrushes, blackbirds, and other birds. The densely branched, thorny shrub provides safe nesting opportunities and shelter for birds and small mammals. Older trunks and branches can also provide habitats for mosses, lichens, fungi, and small invertebrates.

Food web & Biodiversity

🐛 Caterpillars & mothsExtremely useful

🐝 Bees & bumblebeesVery useful

🪰 HoverfliesVery useful

🦋 ButterfliesUseful

🪲 Beetles & insectsExtremely useful

🐦 BirdsExtremely useful

🐿️ MammalsUseful

🐞 Other animalsVery useful

Midland hawthorn provides nectar and pollen to wild bees, honeybees, hoverflies, beetles, and other flower visitors. The foliage serves as food for a wide range of caterpillars, leaf miners, and other specialized insects. The red fruits are consumed by thrushes, starlings, small mammals, and other wildlife. Its dense, thorny branches provide safe nesting sites and shelter for birds and small mammals.

Distribution in the Netherlands