Common Hawthorn
This week, I decided to look into a tree that is ubiquitous across the British countryside, and occurs in the woodland around the UEA lake: Common hawthorn.
Growing up to around 15m tall, the Hawthorn tree (Crataegus monogyna), also commonly known as the May tree or Mayblossom, is a deciduous tree native to the UK. The leaves of the Hawthorn tree are simple with serrated lobes, and around 6cm long, turning yellow in the autumn before dropping off. Hawthorn bark is a dull brown-grey. Its white (occasionally pink) flowers grow in clusters and are approximately 1cm across, with 5 petals. The flowers are hermaphroditic, meaning they have both male a female parts. After pollination, the flowers develop into red fruits known as haws. These appear berry-like but are structurally pomes - simple fleshy fruits with most the flesh from a receptacle around the ovary.
This species is widespread across the UK, and is classified as 'least concern' by the IUCN. It grows well in most soils, although non-acidic soils are generally preferable. Hawthorn is common in open and edge woodland, scrub and hedgerows; as the dominant hedgerow species in the UK it is important in providing food and shelter for a variety of species. Over 300 insect species are supported by hawthorn trees, including the caterpillars of hawthorn, light emerald and fruitlet mining tortrix moths. Pollinating insects visit the flowers as a source of nectar, and the haws are eaten by dormice and many birds, including migrating birds such as redwing and thrushes. The dense foliage provides shelter and nest sites for many birds. Hedgerow management is important in maintaining the wildlife value of hawthorn - flowering and fruiting occurs on wood over 2 years old, so hedge cutting has a large impact on the availability of haws.More information on Hawthorn can be found here:
https://www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/trees-woods-and-wildlife/british-trees/a-z-of-british-trees/hawthorn/
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0167880902001068
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crataegus_monogyna
https://www.brc.ac.uk/plantatlas/plant/crataegus-monogyna
https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/203426/68083007
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