ShrubsSeen in the wild

Crataegus monogyna

Hawthorn

White May blossom and red autumn fruits mark the changing seasons in Irish hedgerows. Hawthorn can also develop into a small tree.

See all four seasons Explore fruits, seeds & edibility ↓ Where to look & how to find it ↓

Some plants are poisonous. Do not identify by a photograph alone, and never taste them.

FIELDCRAFT · FIND WITH CARE

Finding guide

Start close to home

Choose the season, find the habitat, then watch patiently. Search guidance is not a measure of rarity or conservation status.

When to go: Usually flowers May–June; red fruits in autumn.
Where to start: Rural field boundaries and park edges across Ireland. Avoid approaching nests within the branches.
What to do when you arrive: In late spring, compare white hedge flowers with deeply lobed leaves; revisit for red fruits in autumn. Contrast with Blackthorn's usually earlier leafless flowering, without reaching into possible nesting cover.

Habitat and behaviour reference: Wildflowers of Ireland ↗ · The practical steps are editorial advice based on the references, not live sightings.

ONE PLANT · FOUR SEASONS

One plant. Four seasons.

Look beyond the flowers: fresh leaves, fruits, bare stems and dormancy.

Meteorological seasons: spring March–May, summer June–August, autumn September–November and winter December–February. Irish weather, cultivar, pruning and plant age affect timing and appearance.

Photos illustrate the relevant feature, not the same plant photographed through a year in Ireland. Features shared across seasons, such as evergreen leaves, may use the same reference. Missing reliable photos are marked; dormancy is not death.

Spring

Mar–May

Flowers

Lobed leaves expand before late-spring white blossom, usually later than blackthorn.

Summer

Jun–Aug

Foliage and growth

Dense green foliage covers crowns or hedges while young green haws enlarge.

Autumn

Sep–Nov

Fruits

Red haws stand out as leaves yellow and begin to fall.

Winter

Dec–Feb

Bare branches or dry stems

Leaf fall exposes thorny branches; some haws may remain or be eaten by birds.

Seasonal references: Wildflowers of Ireland ↗ · Photo resized, converted to JPEG and stripped of metadata.

FRUIT · SEED · FOOD SAFETY

Fruits, seeds & edibility

Know the structure, then the part. Recognising a plant does not make it food.

Fruit

Hawthorn · Red haws with persistent floral parts at the tip. — Red haws with persistent floral parts at the tip.
Bob Harvey · CC BY-SA 2.0 ↗ License terms

Red haws are small pomes with persistent floral parts at the tip.

Food use of this part: Food use concerns the flesh, not stones or kernels

Seeds & dispersal units

Verified close-up not yet available

Refer to the description below until a suitable photo is verified; flowers or other species are not substituted.

Common hawthorn usually has one hard stone enclosing a seed; do not crush or chew the stone.

Food use of this part: Do not eat

Some seed references show intact one-seeded fruits or dispersal units, as identified in their captions. A whole-fruit photo is not a close-up of the enclosed seed. Cones and arils are not true fruits of flowering plants.

Sources & limitations

Wildflowers of Ireland ↗ · Botanical description, not proof of food safety
RHS · Crataegus monogyna ↗
Woodland Trust · Rose hips, sloes and haws ↗

No field detoxification methods or safe doses are provided. Never taste a plant to identify it or eat treated or contaminated specimens. Seek professional help after suspected accidental ingestion. National Poisons Information Centre, Ireland ↗

Photo resized, converted to JPEG and stripped of metadata.

BOTANICAL NOTESPlant notes

How to identify it

Thorny branches carry deeply lobed leaves. Five-petalled white flowers, sometimes pink-tinged, are followed by red haws. Leaf shape and the sequence of leafing and flowering help distinguish it from blackthorn.

Where it grows

Field hedges, scrub, woodland edges and open grassland.

Growth and ecology

A deciduous shrub or small tree. Flowers attract insects, dense branches shelter birds, and the autumn fruits feed wildlife.

Flowering and seasons

Usually flowers May–June; red fruits in autumn.

Where to look

Rural field boundaries and park edges across Ireland. Avoid approaching nests within the branches.

Seasons vary with weather and location. Suggested habitats are places to look, not guaranteed sightings. Photos show only some features; check leaves, flowers, fruits and specialist references together.

Further reading:Wildflowers of Ireland ↗

Photo license: Elstro · CC BY 3.0 ↗ · License terms ↗
Photo resized, converted to JPEG and stripped of metadata.

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