I have access to a nice Dotted Hawthorn (Crataegus punctata) sometimes
called "Thicket Hawthorn. Has anyone had success with this type of Hawthorn?


Hawthorn is one of those yes-and-no types. There are some English hawthorn
bonsai around, mainly 'Paul's Scarlet' and 'Punicea' (syn. "Crimson Cloud").
They were grown in Japan for pre-bonsai and Bill imported them a couple of
years ago. I bought one and it is absolutely delightful, no trouble, and blooms
like crazy. It needs a little spraying to keep pests & diseases away.
On the other hand, I bought a Washington thorn several years ago. It was rather
obstinate. I thread grafted it and planted it in the ground, but it died. A few
years ago I collected a hawthorn in a vacant lot. While I was growing it on in
the ground, it picked up several diseases. Finally it came down with a horrible
gall disorder, so I threw it out.
My suggestion would be to watch your potential bonsai for rust and other
diseases, and spray it now before you collect it. Since galls in the Rosaceae
are usually usually bacterial, there isn't much you can do except keep the tree
healthy.
Iris,
Central NY, Zone 5a, Sunset Zone 40
"If we see light at the end of the tunnel, It's the light of the oncoming
train."
Robert Lowell (1917-1977)