Hawthorn Hedge Plants, Quickthorn Hedging- Crataegus monogyna
Common Hawthorn, Crataegus monogyna, is the toughest thorny hedging plant in the UK. Hawthorn will grow anywhere in the country and in any soil except in a bog. Because it is a native plant that grows well across Britain, it is known by many names - Quickthorn, Mayblossom and Maythorn, Whitethorn and Haw are a few. Hawthorn hedge plants are the foundation of pretty much all mixed country hedging, especially stock and people proof hedges - their wiry strength makes them ideal for laying and being trimmed hard when they are fully grown.
These bushy little trees are the ideal sized hedging plants for the farm or city and the price for 1000+ plants is our lowest wholesale price for everyone - you can save a little bit extra with our hawthorn hedging packs of 50 plants. Starting with smaller plants is cheapest and usually makes a better hedge in the long run. Use larger plants if you are in a hurry to make a barrier.
Hawthorn Lore: It is still used to decorate May poles today and in medieval times Hawthorn was credited with a wide range of powers. Spring brides carried Hawthorn to increase fertility while Irish fisherman took Hawthorn on board to increase their catch. Along with Oak and Ash, Hawthorn was part of the fairy triad and fairies were often seen where all three trees grew together. Hawthorn hedges brought luck while Hawthorn trees protected houses from evil ghosts, which could be why witches performed their rites under them...
Hawthorn will grow to about 8 metres and, left untrimmed, becomes a pleasantly shaped, small spreading tree. As a hedge or tree, it provides an excellent nesting site for small birds. Its leaves are quite small and glossy green, with three rough lobes. It is covered in small, single fragrant white flowers in spring and red, edible, quite tasteless fruit in autumn that are sweetened with sugar and other fruit in hedgerow jelly.
If you want to look at our economical hawthorn packs or some larger specimen trees with red, pink or white blossom, such as Paul's Scarlet, Crimson Cloud, Rosea Flore Pleno or plain Crataegus laevigata, why not take a look at our full range of hawthorn here
Planting your Hawthorn Hedge
Your hedge can be planted at 3 per metre in a single row and at 5 plants per metre in a double one. Both will be secure when they are fully grown - a double row will just be doubly strong. After you have planted your hawthorn, firming the soil around its roots and making sure that its root collar is visible, slightly above soil level, you need to trim each plant by about half. Make a diagonal cut just above an outward facing bud (this will ideally be facing alternate sides for a single row hedge), removing about half of the plant's height.
In the countryside, some areas have enough rabbits to make spirals and canes a necessity for the young plants - a few hungry rabbits can effectively keep a young tree nibbled down to a bonsai.
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