Thread: Thorny shrubs
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Old 16-05-2003, 06:20 AM
Hussein M.
 
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Default Thorny shrubs

On Tue, 13 May 2003 09:09:33 +0100, "david" wrote:

Why not plant with hawthorn, then interplant with other
interesting/evergreen plants.
Hawthorn can be bought by the hundred in winter and is good value



Isn't it truly excellent for wild life too?

There seem to be a zillion different Crataegus's. I got the tanacetifolia this year
(tansy leaved). A beery lout from the street seems to have decided that none of my plants
should have supports and overnight all the canes supporting the newly planted trees/shrubs
were vanished. I only discovered after seeing the top 1.5 ft of the Crataegus was snapped
and hanging. The bit with the most leaf too - I'm leading it to go up and over.

The common Crataegus monogyna:

Pollinated by midges apparently, so, if you want a good harvest ..... it's gonna be a
scratchy summer.

Hybridises freely with other members of this genus and with C. laevigata in the wild[186,
200].
There are many named forms selected for their ornamental value[200].
Seedling trees take from 5 - 8 years before they start bearing fruit, though grafted trees
will often flower heavily in their third year[K].
The flowers have a foetid smell somewhat like decaying fish. This attracts midges which
are the main means of fertilisation. When freshly open, the flowers have more pleasant
scent with balsamic undertones[245].

Seedlings should not be left in a seedbed for more than 2 years without being
transplanted[11]. In heavier shade they quickly become drawn and leggy, eventually
dying[186].
An important food plant for the caterpillars of many lepidoptera species[30], there are
149 insect species associated with this tree[24].
Plants are susceptible to fireblight[200].

Fruit - raw or cooked[2, 12]. Not very appetising raw[9, K], it is normally used for
making jams and preserves[9, 183]. The fruit can be dried, ground, mixed with flour and
used for making bread etc[46]. The fruit is about 1cm in diameter[200]. There are up to
five fairly large seeds in the centre of the fruit, these often stick together and so the
effect is of eating a cherry-like fruit with a single seed[K].
Young shoots - raw[5, 177]. A pleasant nutty flavour[144], they are a good addition to the
salad bowl[183].
A tea is made from the dried leaves[21, 46, 177, 183], it is a china tea substitute.
The roasted seeds are a coffee substitute[12, 21, 46, 177].
The flowers are used in syrups and sweet puddings[183].

A good hedge plant, it is very tolerant of being cut and of neglect and is able to
regenerate if cut back severely, it makes a good thorny stock-proof barrier[186] and
resists very strong winds. It is often used in layered hedges[11, 29]. The cultivar
'Stricta' has made a very good hedge 3.5 metres tall in an exposed maritime position at
Rosewarne in N. Cornwall[K].
Wood - very hard and tough, difficult to work. Used for tool handles etc. Valued in
turning[7, 46, 61]. A good fuel, giving out a lot of heat[4].


Hussein
Grow a little garden

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