Irish Trees
Irish Trees: click below
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Oak Pedunculate Oak Sessile Rowan Scots pine Strawberry tree Willow Wych elm Yew |
Hawthorn
Sceach gheal
(Crataegus monogyna)
Hawthorn or white thorn was planted in hedges throughout
our countryside. Its sweet smelling 'May' blossom is a feature
in that month, and in autumn and winter the deep red haws
colour the bare twigs. They are among the berries most favoured
by birds. Only untrimmed hawthorn can flower and fruit
freely, but hedges have to be cut to keep them stock proof.
Hawthorn hedges may be trimmed regularly, or left for several
years and then laid by cutting part way through the main stems
and laying these horizontally through the hedge. Even old
hawthorn hedges will regenerate if trunks are cut back to base
and left to sprout again, but these must be fenced off so that
farm livestock cannot reach the tasty young shoots and eat
them.
Like many other shrubs, hawthorn also grows in woodland
where there is enough light - in open glades, along 'rides'
through the woodland, or along the edge. A single tree may
be left in a field as a 'fairy thorn', especially where there may
be an archaeological site.