Hawthorn: species richness and variety of varieties

Many gardeners know how unique a hawthorn plant is. This deciduous shrub, which has a centuries-old and interesting history, is considered not only fruit, but also medicinal and decorative culture. That is why the plant is often used in large quantities to decorate the garden. The feature of shrubs is endurance and unpretentiousness. There are many different varieties of hawthorn, each of which has its own unique features.

To begin with, it should be said that the hawthorn group includes not only shrubs, but also small trees. Modern botany knows about 2 thousand species of this plant. Basically, most of the varieties sprout in North America. Even in ancient times, people used different parts of hawthorn to make healing drinks. This is due to the fact that the plant has many useful properties due to its unique biochemical composition.

The peculiarity of most types of hawthorn is the presence of a hard and dense bark. Wood is durable, thanks to which large-fruited shrubs are resistant to strong gusts of winds and other weather conditions.

In Europe, hawthorn is used as a decorative culture. For this reason, shrubs often decorate a variety of scenic parks.

Plant height varies from 3 to 5 m, it depends on the variety. Plants are protected by dense bark of brown or gray. The height of the trees reaches 10–12 m, depending on the variety. Especially popular today is the garden hawthorn. This plant not only decorates the site, but also pleases with good yield. In addition, garden varieties unpretentious, well resist external influences.

Before you get acquainted with the main species of hawthorn, you should be aware that this plant belongs to the family "Pink". The Latin name sounds like Crataegus L.

One of the popular perennial varieties is Pauls Scarlet - it is a tall plant with quite lush terry buds. The peculiarity of the common hawthorn is that the fruits on it appear quite rarely. But, if the berries are still there, they can have the most diverse forms. Another rather popular variety is the Timiryazev hawthorn. It is presented in the form of a tall srednekridistoy tree having a straight trunk. The shoots of this hawthorn are medium, slightly curved. The mass of red and juicy berries fluctuates within 4–4.8 g.

Under natural conditions in the territory of the Far East quite often the hawthorn "Maksimovich" is found. The height of the plant can reach 7 m. The peculiarity of the hawthorn is that the fruits having a spherical shape are covered with hairs during the ripening process. At the end of this period, they completely disappear.

No less popular among gardeners are such varieties as "Daursky", "Toba", "Douglas", "Crimean" and "Kretegus". But, it must be said that these plants need special care. No less popular in the gardening is the hawthorn "Pontic". The peculiarity of this species is that it germinates exclusively in warm regions. Unlike most varieties of hawthorn has yellow berries, the surface of which is covered with specks.

One of the most unpretentious plants is the Altai variety. Using this hawthorn for cultivation in your own garden, care should be taken to choose a moist soil. In height, the plant can reach 7–8 m. A rather “prickly” variety is the fan-shaped hawthorn. Shrub grows up to 6 m in height. The peculiarity of this species is the presence of curved spines up to 7 cm long. According to the description, hawthorn berries can be either yellow or red.

Large and sweet fruits are different variety with the interesting name "Paradise apple". Hawthorn is a decorative species that tolerates frosts.

Another decorative type is the Petus Spur variety. The plant has wide sprouts, its height can reach 12 m. The hawthorn has strong curved spines, which in their form resemble a rooster's spur (which is why the name of the variety occurs). Unlike the previous species, the peristonadrezny variety is not too high (4–6 m). The peculiarity of the hawthorn is the absence of spines.

One of the unique varieties is the five-hawthorn hawthorn. Its peculiarity lies in the fact that it easily hybridizes with other plant species of this family.

The main distinguishing feature of this variety is the presence of variegated foliage. The length of the tree reaches 6–7 m, the shoots are well branched, the plants have an asymmetric crown. Leaf color change occurs in summer and autumn. In the hot season, they have a dark green color. With the onset of autumn leaves become bright orange or red. Fruiting grade falls at the end of summer. Bright red berries have a round shape and a pleasant taste.

Slivolistny is one of the best options for creating a hedge. This is due to the presence of dense branching, so that the plant is distinguished by its density and decorative effect. It should be said that this variety is a hybrid of “Petus Spur” and a large-hawk hawthorn.

This hawthorn belongs to quite common cultures. The blood-red species (as it is often called) is used as a medicinal plant to combat various ailments. The height of the shrub can vary between 2–5 m. The hawthorn has a small number of thorns, dark green dull and rough leaves with a length of 3 to 6 cm.

The flowering shrub falls at the end of May or the beginning of June. Red Siberian berries have a shiny surface and a spherical shape. The average diameter of the fruit is 1 cm. Fruiting occurs in August and September. This hawthorn variety is widely distributed in Western and Eastern Siberia. The plant needs a soil with medium moisture, is highly resistant to frost.

The main advantage of this species is the presence of juicy fruits with mealy pulp. This hawthorn is a representative of the American flora. For this reason, the plant needs a moist soil. The soft hawthorn tree grows up to 8 m high. The plant has a spherical shape; there are large spines on the shoots. On the shrub appear large inflorescences with a pleasant smell, resembling shields.

Fruiting hawthorn falls on the 6 year of his life. The berries are quite large, pear-shaped or obovate. Fruits with yellow pulp contain 3–5 seeds. Ripening berries falls on the end of September.

By the name of this variety it can be understood that most often it grows on the territory of China, as well as Japan. This is a photophilous plant that carries both well-lit and dark areas. Chinese hawthorn reaches a height of 6 m, a distinctive feature is the complete absence of thorns on the branches. This variety belongs to the decorative species.

Ornamental hawthorn trees and shrubs are a good choice for decorating your own garden.Many gardeners know firsthand that the compatibility of certain crops on the site can be both beneficial and harmful to the plants themselves. Hawthorn goes well in the same area with cherries and cherries. But, it is worth considering that the minimum distance between cultures should be at least 4 m. As for the flowers, the hawthorn goes well with chrysanthemums.

Quite often, hawthorn is used to create a hedge. The advantage of such plant "buildings" is that it provides environmental cleanliness on the site.

To create a hawthorn hedge, you first need to choose seedlings. Experienced gardeners recommend using three-year-old plants for planting, as they easily take root in new conditions, which is not the case with older specimens. Thanks to the regular pruning you can independently form the desired composition.

Often to create a hedge used trellis. This will allow for barrage density.

For planting seedlings is recommended to choose a special soil mixture. It should include:

• sod land;
• peat;
• sand;
• leaf earth.

All of the above components must be used in equal proportions. Such a prepared mixture will ensure good growth and development of the young hawthorn.

As for the process of planting, it is not very complex. If the seedlings are placed in one row, planting pits should be made up to 50 cm wide, for two bushes - 1 m. The optimal distance between plants is 0.5 m. The previously prepared mixture is poured into the pit, and then crops are planted. A small depression should be left around each shrub. This will delay irrigation water and precipitation.

A hedge needs systematic watering. Especially often this process should be carried out in the first year of plant life in a new place. Moistening is carried out once a week. Due to the presence of holes near shrubs, young cultures will receive a sufficient amount of water.

As for feeding plants in the hedge, it is carried out only a year after planting. It is best to choose fertilizers that contain nitrogen.

For planting hawthorn with large foliage and dense crown is best to choose a well-lit areas. Many gardeners argue that these crops are not distinguished by their fascination with the soil. But, nevertheless, you should consider some useful tips.

• For planting it is necessary to choose a heavy and fertile soil. Particular attention should be paid to the water balance, as it should be normal. The stagnation of moisture limits the flow of oxygen. Gardeners recommend adding lime to the soil, which will increase softness and fertility.

• As for plant reproduction, there are many common ways. The most popular methods are cutting and dividing the bush. As well as the reproduction of the plant occurs with the help of seeds. Each of the methods has both advantages and disadvantages, which allows preserving the qualities of the variety.
• Fruits and leaves of hawthorn are often used in traditional medicine. Its beneficial substances strengthen the cardiovascular system, improve blood circulation and normalize blood pressure. The peculiarity of hawthorn fruit is the presence of ursolic acid.This substance is well removes inflammation, destroys pathogens. And also ursolic acid promotes the expansion of blood vessels.

In the next video, an expert will tell about hawthorn, its features, planting and care.