Midland hawthorn (Crataegus laevigata, Prodr. 2: 630 (1825))

Family: Rosaceae

Author: (Poir.) DC.

Bibliography: Prodr. 2: 630 (1825)

Year: 1825

Status: accepted

Rank: species

Genus: Crataegus

Vegetable: Unknown

Observations: Europe

Description

The Midland hawthorn, commonly known by its scientific name Crataegus laevigata, is a notable member of the Rosaceae family. This flowering plant is indigenous to Europe, where it thrives in various environments, from woodlands to open countryside.

Crataegus laevigata distinguishes itself with characteristic lobed leaves and clusters of white or pale pink flowers, which typically bloom in late spring. The flowers, which are rich in pollen and nectar, attract a host of pollinators, contributing to the plant’s role in supporting local ecosystems. In the fall, the Midland hawthorn produces small red fruit known as “haws,” which serve as a vital food source for birds and other wildlife throughout the colder months.

Besides its ecological value, the Midland hawthorn has been appreciated for its ornamental qualities. Its striking blossoms and lush greenery make it a popular choice for hedgerows and garden landscapes.

Historically, the plant has also been recognized for its medicinal properties. Traditional uses have included remedies derived from its leaves, flowers, and fruits, believed to support cardiovascular health among other benefits. While more contemporary applications warrant scientific exploration, the legacy of Crataegus laevigata in herbal medicine underscores its significance throughout centuries.

Documented in 1825 by Poiret and further classified by de Candolle, the Midland hawthorn holds a firm place in botanical literature. This enduring species continues to inspire interest and study, reflecting its timeless appeal and importance in natural heritage.

Common Names

Dan: almindelig hvidtjørn
Eng: english hawthorn, smooth hawthorn, midland hawthorn, whitethorn, woodland hawthorn
Deu: zweigriffliger weissdorn, zweigriffliger weißdorn
Fra: aubépine à deux styles, aubépine épineuse
Lav: divirbulu krustabele
Nno: parkhagtorn
Nob: parkhagtorn
Por: pirliteiro
Swe: pyöröorapihlaja, rundhagtorn, hagtorn
Fin: pyöröorapihlaja
Nld: tweestijlige meidoorn
Cym: draenen wen, draenen wen dwy golofn, draenen wen lefn, draenen ysbyddaden, egfaenwydd, merys, ysbyddaden
En: Midland hawthorn, Woodland hawthorn, English hawthorn, Whitethorn, Smooth hawthorn, Hagthorn, May Whitethorn, Mayblossom, Midland Thorn
Hy: Սզնի
Eu: Hegoaldeko elorri zuri
Bg: Английски глог
Zh: 亮叶山楂
Cs: Hloh obecný
Da: Almindelig Hvidtjørn
Nl: Tweestijlige meidoorn
Eo: Dustilusa kratago
Et: Tömbilehine viirpuu
Fi: Pyöröorapihlaja, Pyöreäliuskaorapihlaja
Fr: Aubépine à deux styles, Aubépine épineuse, Aubépine lisse, Bois de mai, Épine blanche, Noble Épine, Poire d’oiseau, Senellier
De: Zweigriffrlige Weißdorn, Zweigriffeliger Weißdorn, Zweigriffliger Weissdorn, Zweigriffliger Weißdorn, Gemeiner Weißdorn, Hagedorn, Rotdorn
Hu: Cseregalagonya
Is: Hvítþrnir, Hvítþyrnir
It: Biancospino, Azarolo selvatico, Biancospino europeo, Biancospino selvatico
Lv: Divirbulu krustabele
Lt: Grauželinė gudobelė
No: Parkhagtorn
Nb: Parkhagtorn
Nn: Parkhagtorn
Os: Сындзджын дурвæткъуы
Pl: Głóg dwuszyjkowy
Pt: Pilriteiro, Pirliteiro
Ru: Боярышник обыкновенный
Sr: Црвени глог
Sk: Hloh krivokališný, Hloh obyčajný
Es: Espino navarro, Navadni glog, Espino albar, Espino blanco, Majuela
Sv: Rundhagtorn, Älgö, Pyöröorapihlaja, Hagtorn
Cy: Draenen wen Lefn, Draenen Wen, Draenen Wen Dwy Golofn, Draenen Ysbyddaden, Egfaenwydd, Merys, Ysbyddaden

Synonyms

• Crataegus oxyacantha var. obtusata (DC.)
• Crataegus oxyacantha f. oxyacanthoides ((Thuill.) Fiori)
• Crataegus oxyacantha subvar. eriocarpa ((Gillot) Rouy & E.G.Camus)
• Crataegus oxyacanthoides var. laevigata ((Poir.) Lej.)
• Crataegus oxyacantha var. flore-alba-plena (Rodigas)
• Crataegus oxyacantha f. integrifolia ((Wallr.) Fiori)
• Crataegus laevigata subsp. carnoviensis ((Hrabětová) Dostál)
• Crataegus laevigata subsp. palmstruchii ((Lindm.) Franco)
• Crataegus oxyacantha var. palmstruchii ((Lindm.) Gams)
• Crataegus palmstruchii subsp. rhenana (R.Knapp)
• Crataegus oxyacantha f. rosea ((Willd.) Rehder)
• Crataegus laevigata f. rosea ((Willd.) Geerinck)
• Crataegus laevigata var. microxyacantha ((Pénzes) Ker.-Nagy)
• Mespilus intermedia (Poir.)
• Crataegus oxyacantha var. mathei (Pénzes)
• Crataegus oxyacantha sorbifolia (Dippel)
• Crataegus oxyacantha f. auriculata (C.K.Schneid.)
• Crataegus oxyacantha var. ovoxyacantha (Pénzes)
• Crataegus monogyna var. rosea ((Willd.) K.Koch)
• Crataegus oxyacantha var. subrotundifolia (Hrabětová)
• Crataegus laevigata f. ellipticifolia ((Cinovskis) Cinovskis)
• Mespilus digyna (Gray)
• Crataegus oxyacantha f. gireoudii (Späth ex C.K.Schneid.)
• Crataegus oxyacantha f. vernicosa ((Lange) C.K.Schneid.)
• Mespilus oxyacantha var. integrifolia (Wallr.)
• Mespilus oxyacanthoides ((Thuill.) DC.)
• Crataegus laevigata var. palmstruchii ((Lindm.) P.D.Sell)
• Oxyacantha obtusata ((Ser.) M.Roem.)
• Crataegus laevigata subsp. walokochiana ((Hrabětová) Dostál)
• Mespilus oxyacantha var. oxyacanthoides ((Thuill.) T.Lestib.)
• Crataegus subinermis (Gand.)
• Mespilus oxyacantha var. obovata (Mérat)
• Crataegus oxyacantha var. ovata (Mérat)
• Mespilus laevigata (Poir.)
• Oxyacantha matthioli (Bubani)
• Crataegus laevigata var. microphylla ((Lange) Hrabětová)
• Crataegus oxyacantha var. obtusiloba (Schur)
• Crataegus oxyacantha subsp. polygyna (H.Lév.)
• Crataegus oxyacantha subsp. carnoviensis (Hrabětová)
• Crataegus oxyacantha f. laevigata ((Poir.) Beck)
• Crataegus oxyacantha var. microcarpa (H.Lév.)
• Crataegus oxyacantha var. oxyacanthoides ((Thuill.) Chevall.)
• Crataegus oxyacantha var. globosa (Hrabětová)
• Crataegus calycina var. walokochiana ((Hrabětová) Cinovskis)
• Crataegus oxyacanthoides (Thuill.)
• Crataegus oxyacantha var. flore-punicea (Rodigas)
• Crataegus palmstruchii (Lindm.)
• Crataegus laevigata f. bicrenulata (Hrabětová ex Ker.-Nagy)
• Oxyacantha vulgaris ((Ser.) M.Roem.)
• Crataegus oxyacantha subsp. palmstruchii ((Lindm.) Hrabětová)
• Crataegus oxyacantha var. rosea (Willd.)
• Crataegus oxyacantha var. laevigata ((Poir.) Rouy & E.G.Camus)
• Crataegus laevigata subsp. vulgaris ((DC.) Baranec)
• Crataegus laevigata var. mathei ((Pénzes) Ker.-Nagy)
• Crataegus oxyacantha var. flore-rubra-plena (Rodigas)
• Crataegus oxyacantha subsp. laevigata ((Poir.) Gost.-Jak.)
• Crataegus oxyacantha subsp. oxyacanthoides ((Thuill.) Arcang.)
• Crataegus oxyacantha subsp. joachymii (Hrabětová)
• Crataegus oxyacantha var. microxyacantha (Pénzes)
• Crataegus ariifolia (Cinovskis)
• Mespilus oxyacantha var. auriculata (Asch. & Graebn.)
• Crataegus laevigata var. integrifolia ((Wallr.) Ker.-Nagy)
• Oxyacantha monogyna var. rosea ((Willd.) M.Roem.)
• Crataegus laevigata var. ovoxyacantha ((Pénzes) Ker.-Nagy)
• Crataegus walokochiana var. subrotundifolia ((Hrabětová) Ker.-Nagy)
• Crataegus walokochiana var. globosa ((Hrabětová) Ker.-Nagy)
• Crataegus walokochiana var. joachmyii ((Hrabětová) Ker.-Nagy)
• Crataegus oxyacantha f. glabrata (Sanio)
• Crataegus oxyacantha subsp. walokochiana (Hrabětová)
• Crataegus laevigata var. vulgaris ((DC.) P.A.Schmidt)
• Crataegus oxyacantha var. vulgaris (DC.)
• Crataegus spinosa (Gilib.)
• Crataegus oxyacantha subsp. vernicosa (Lange)
• Mespilus sorbifolia ((Dippel) Asch. & Graebn.)
• Mespilus oxyacantha var. obtusata ((DC.) Wenz.)
• Crataegus cuneatotrifida (Lojac.)
• Crataegus oxyacantha var. integrifolia ((Wallr.) Wenz.)
• Crataegus oxyacantha f. ellipticifolia (Cinovskis)
• Crataegus laevigata var. carnoviensis ((Hrabětová) Hrabětová)
• Crataegus coriacea (Gand.)
• Crataegus walokochiana ((Hrabětová) P.A.Schmidt)
• Crataegus laevigata var. sorbifolia ((Dippel) Ker.-Nagy)

Distribution

• Austria (native)
• Baltic States (native)
• Belarus (native)
• Belgium (native)
• Central European Rus (native)
• Corse (native)
• Czechoslovakia (native)
• Denmark (native)
• France (native)
• Germany (native)
• Great Britain (native)
• Hungary (native)
• Italy (native)
• Netherlands (native)
• Norway (native)
• Poland (native)
• Romania (native)
• Sicilia (native)
• South European Russi (native)
• Spain (native)
• Sweden (native)
• Switzerland (native)
• Ukraine (native)
• Yugoslavia (native)
• Ireland (introduced)
• Washington (introduced)

Additional Images

© copyright of the Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.

© copyright of the Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.

© copyright of the Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.

Flower

Taken May 6, 2020 by sendero (cc-by-sa)

Taken Apr 23, 2020 by marcoteresa (cc-by-sa)

Taken Apr 23, 2018 by Ian Bennett (cc-by-sa)

Taken May 23, 2018 by Barbara Kozan (cc-by-sa)

Taken Jul 8, 2011 by Anamaria Jakumatović (cc-by-sa)

Fruit

Taken Sep 16, 2021 by Renaud Jégat (cc-by-sa)

Taken Dec 11, 2017 by Remo Cela (cc-by-sa)

Taken Sep 27, 2021 by Jacques Zuber (cc-by-sa)

Taken Apr 15, 2020 by Nobili Maria Teresa (cc-by-sa)

Taken Sep 24, 2021 by Annemarie Ahrens-Stehle (cc-by-sa)

Other

Taken Apr 26, 2022 by Alberti Naike (cc-by-sa)

Taken Oct 6, 2022 by Sylvie plattey (cc-by-sa)

Taken Apr 18, 2022 by huy HO (cc-by-sa)

Taken May 12, 2021 by ByteCruncher (cc-by-sa)

Taken May 22, 2021 by Sylvain Piry (cc-by-sa)

Habit

Taken Nov 14, 2020 by izcue eneko (cc-by-sa)

Taken Nov 11, 2021 by NathSign (cc-by-sa)

Taken May 22, 2021 by Sylvain Piry (cc-by-sa)

Taken Sep 28, 2022 by Barbora Vida (cc-by-sa)

Taken Apr 30, 2022 by Dan d’Auge (cc-by-sa)

Leaf

Taken Apr 16, 2020 by Sabine FB (cc-by-sa)

Taken Apr 14, 2021 by Aurélie warin (cc-by-sa)

Taken Apr 14, 2021 by catherine nguyen (cc-by-sa)

Taken Oct 2, 2020 by fru1925 (cc-by-sa)

Taken May 6, 2020 by sendero (cc-by-sa)

Bark

Taken Jun 8, 2020 by Sabina Hartmann (cc-by-sa)

Taken May 17, 2020 by Sabina Hartmann (cc-by-sa)

Taken Jan 29, 2021 by Ros Luis (cc-by-sa)

Taken Apr 30, 2022 by Dan d’Auge (cc-by-sa)

Taken Sep 23, 2022 by Stephan Tobias (cc-by-sa)

Sources

• WFO (No URL)
• IPNI (No URL)
• POWO (http://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:723644-1)
• GBIF (https://www.gbif.org/species/8252683)
• PlantNet (https://identify.plantnet.org/species/the-plant-list/Crataegus laevigata (Poir.) DC.)

Specifications

Growth