"Spider" wrote in message
...
On 08/05/2012 17:17, Christina Websell wrote:
"Christina wrote in message
...

wrote in message
...
On 07/05/2012 22:03, Christina Websell wrote:
I promised Spider I would look at it in the Spring to see if we could
identify it.
It has apple-like leaves. It has buds that are flushed red and opens
into
white blossom with five large petals, in bunches.
It has a bark like a hawthorn, and is similar in shape and size for a
30 yr
old hawthorn. It has fruit similar to hawthorn, but not the same.
Whatever it is the fieldfares loved it.
I would really like to know what it is.
Tina






Hi Tina,

Glad I saw this. I don't suppose there's any chance of a photo, is
there? It might help to see the blossom, if it's still in tact. I'm
finding it hard to imagine a tree with hawthorn bark, but apple leaves
and flowers.
--
Spider
from high ground in SE London
gardening on clay

My camera is out of order atm. The tree has far more blossom on than an
apple tree would have, it's covered, but going over now.. I'll have
another look at it tomorrow, btw it doesn't have thorns, and not much of
a
spread. I'll try and estimate the height by standing next to it.
Tina


It's around 20 ft high and the spread at the top of the tree is maybe
around
15 ft.
The bunches of blossoms are up to 18 flowers in a bunch (the ones I can
see
lower in the tree) and all the way up the branches and they are almost as
big, petal-wise, as apple.
It's a mature tree i.e. it looks pretty much the same as when I moved
here
26 years ago.
I confirm the bark is like hawthorn.

Does that help? I don't have a clue what it can be.

Tina






Thanks Tina, that's a lot more information to go on. Alas, I can't find
your original post where you described the fruit (I think you said larger
than haws on basic Crataegus, but smaller than crab apples). Red?.
Yes, just like haws but bigger.

Also, do you remember any autumn leaf colour which might be
significant?
No, but I will look at this tree in autumn.

I'm about to make a cup of tea and curl up with a gardening book or two,
so I'll see what I can find out.

Thanks.