hawthorn

hawthorn
hawthorny, adj.
/haw"thawrn'/, n.
any of numerous plants belonging to the genus Crataegus, of the rose family, typically a small tree with stiff thorns, certain North American species of which have white or pink blossoms and bright-colored fruits and are cultivated in hedges.
[bef. 900; ME; OE haguthorn, c. MD hagedorn, MHG hagendorn, ON hagthorn. See HAW3, THORN]

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Any of various thorny shrubs or small trees of the genus Crataegus, in the rose family, native to the northern temperate zone.

Many species are native to North America. The simple leaves are usually toothed or lobed. Hawthorns bear white or pink flowers, usually in clusters, and small applelike, red (rarely blue or black) fruits. Many cultivated varieties are grown as ornamentals for their attractive flowers and fruits. The hawthorn is well suited for hedgerows; its combination of sturdy twigs, hard wood, and many thorns makes it a formidable barrier to cattle and hogs.

Hawthorn (Crataegus)

Walter Chandoha

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plant
also called  Haw, or Thornapple,  
 any of a number of thorny shrubs or small trees of the genus Crataegus, in the rose family (Rosaceae), native to the North Temperate Zone. Many species are native to North America. The hawthorn's leaves are simple, and usually toothed or lobed. The white or pink flowers, usually in clusters, are followed by small applelike, red fruits, or more rarely by blue or black ones. Many cultivated varieties of hawthorn are grown as ornamentals for their attractive flowers and fruits. Some species are characterized by horizontal branching, a growth habit considered to enhance their ornamental value.

      The hawthorn is well-suited to form hedges, and its combination of sturdy twigs, hard wood, and many thorns makes it a formidable barrier to cattle and hogs. It is seldom used for this purpose in North America, however. Two haws that make ideal hedges are the English midland hawthorn (C. oxyacantha, or C. laevigata) and the common hawthorn (C. monogyna), the latter growing to 9 m (30 feet) in height. C. laevigata has given rise to several cultivated varieties with showier flower clusters, in pink and red; unfortunately the species and its varieties often suffer from leaf spot, fire blight, and cedar-hawthorn rusts, which cause early defoliation and decline.

      A most strikingly thorned American species is the cockspur hawthorn (C. crus-galli), with extremely long, slender spines up to 8 cm (3 inches) long; a thornless variety is also available. The Washington hawthorn (C. phaenopyrum, or C. cordata) is famous for its red autumn colour and its abundant clusters of orange-red fruits that persist on the twigs well into winter; it is somewhat susceptible to rust but is otherwise a durable and much-used ornamental. Downy, or red, haw (C. mollis) has whitish hairs on young twigs and downy leaves. Lavalle hawthorn (C. × lavallei) is a compact vase-shaped tree with dense glossy foliage.

      Numerous wild species of hawthorn provide thickets in the eastern half of the United States, including green (C. viridis), May (C. opaca), Allegheny (C. intricata), dotted (C. punctata), and fleshy (C. succulenta) hawthorns.

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Universalium. 2010.

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Synonyms:
, (Crataegus oxyacantha)


Look at other dictionaries:

  • Hawthorn — may refer to:In plants: * Common Hawthorn ( Crataegus monogyna ), the Hawthorn tree * Crataegus (hawthorn), a large genus of shrubs and trees in the family Rosaceae * Rhaphiolepis (hawthorn), a genus of about 15 species of evergreen shrubs and… …   Wikipedia

  • Hawthorn — heißen die Orte Hawthorn (Pennsylvania) in den USA Hawthorn (Victoria) in Australien sowie der Mount Hawthorn (Westaustralien) in Australien Hawthorn bezeichnet Hawthorn (Unternehmen), einen ehemaliger Lokomotivhersteller in Newcastle upon Tyne… …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Hawthorn — Haw thorn (h[add] th[^o]rn ), n. [AS. haga[thorn]orn, h[ae]g[thorn]orn. See {Haw} a hedge, and {Thorn}.] (Bot.) A thorny shrub or tree (the {Crat[ae]gus oxyacantha}), having deeply lobed, shining leaves, small, roselike, fragrant flowers, and a… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Hawthorn — Hawthorn, PA U.S. borough in Pennsylvania Population (2000): 587 Housing Units (2000): 220 Land area (2000): 1.107734 sq. miles (2.869019 sq. km) Water area (2000): 0.000000 sq. miles (0.000000 sq. km) Total area (2000): 1.107734 sq. miles… …   StarDict's U.S. Gazetteer Places

  • Hawthorn, PA — U.S. borough in Pennsylvania Population (2000): 587 Housing Units (2000): 220 Land area (2000): 1.107734 sq. miles (2.869019 sq. km) Water area (2000): 0.000000 sq. miles (0.000000 sq. km) Total area (2000): 1.107734 sq. miles (2.869019 sq. km)… …   StarDict's U.S. Gazetteer Places

  • hawthorn — O.E. hagaþorn, earlier hæguþorn hawthorn, white thorn, from obsolete haw hedge or encompassing fence (see HAW (Cf. haw)) + THORN (Cf. thorn). A common Germanic name, Cf. M.Du., Ger. hagedorn, Swed. hagtorn, O.N. hagþorn …   Etymology dictionary

  • hawthorn — ► NOUN ▪ a thorny shrub or tree with white, pink, or red blossom and small dark red fruits (haws). ORIGIN Old English, probably with the literal meaning hedge thorn …   English terms dictionary

  • hawthorn — [hô′thôrn΄] n. [lit., hedge thorn < ME hagethorn < OE hagathorn < haga, hedge, HAW1 + thorn, akin to Ger hagedorn] any of a group of thorny shrubs and small trees (genus Crataegus) of the rose family, with white, pink, or red flowers and …   English World dictionary

  • Hawthorn — Cette page d’homonymie répertorie les différents sujets et articles partageant un même nom. Hawthorn peut signifier : Sommaire 1 Autres langues 2 Toponymes …   Wikipédia en Français

  • hawthorn —    Traditional beliefs concerning the hawthorn are contradictory. One particular tree, the *Holy Thorn of Glastonbury, was regarded as sacred since it blossomed at Christmas; its real or reputed descendants are pointed out with respect. A few… …   A Dictionary of English folklore

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