Hawthorn (Crataegus monogyna)

AKA: Bread and Cheese, Maythorn, Quickthorn

Where: Hedgerows, especially along woodland. Common throughout UK, except far north. 

What: Berries, flowers, leaves.

When: Leaves: April – July; Flowers: April – June; Berries: July – November, possibly later.

Hawthorns are very commonly encountered as they make up a large proportion of the hedgerows once you get away from the privet wastelands of suburbia. They are easy to spot, either as a hedge or as a freestanding, usually ancient looking, individual tree.

The tree can reach a height of 10m or more, but is more commonly found at 4m or thereabouts in the hedgerow, depending on the maintenance. It has a woody stem, gnarled and twisted, greyish brown in colour with broken skin.

The leaves are fairly thick and tough, appearing in early spring. A glossy dark green in colour (young leaves are a lighter green), deeply lobed into 5 segments some 2-3cm across, and looking a little like a maple leaf. The young leaves are very edible and taste like, well, leaves – slightly bitter, but also slightly sweet – several sources recommend putting them on a sandwich, but they are good on their own or in a salad. Older leaves become a bit chewy and straggly and are perhaps best avoided.

The blossom arrives in late spring (April/early May) and continues until June. Measuring c2-3cm across, it consists of 5 white petals with a pinkish tinge, with a central part of white stamens with a pink end. It is very characteristic and very pretty and is produced in massive amounts, and is also edible! Actually, it’s a very powerful sweet taste, sometimes sickly sweet, and is not to everyone’s liking, but it makes a good syrup, and an interesting addition to spring salads. The unopened flower buds are also edible – get them in spring and eat raw, or in salads (the Hawthorn is often referred to as ‘bread and cheese’ – the bread is the leaves, the cheese is the unopened flower buds)

The most characteristic aspect of the Hawthorn are the haws, the bright red berries that arrive in summer time (July), and can persist until December. The tree is a member of the apple family, and the haws look like shiny red apples in miniature, measuring just 1cm across, and having a single large seed inside, with surprisingly little flesh covering it. Be advised, the Hawthorn is covered in sharp hard spines – the clue is in the name – so be careful when collecting. They can be eaten raw (they are sort of fruity, but plain) but are much better made into a jam or preserve, or better mixed with other fruit and made into a leather. They also make a really good country wine.

Lookalikes: None really, it is fairly easy to spot and there is nothing to confuse it with.