Crataegus laevigata
Hawthorn

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Hawthorn (Crataegus laevigata) is a shade-tolerant shrub or small tree that can grow up to 12 m tall, making it more typical of closed-canopy woodland than open habitats. It is best known as a species of ancient woodlands but also occurs in old hedges and is less common than common hawthorn (Crataegus monogyna). The species typically grows on heavy clay soils, avoiding limestone and chalk substrates (Thomas et al., 2021). Hawthorn plays an important role in woodland ecosystems, providing flowers for pollinators in spring and berries for birds and mammals in autumn and winter. 

The species is native to central and northern Europe, extending eastwards to the Czech Republic, Hungary, Romania, and Ukraine. In the British Isles, it is native to south-east England, with natural populations reaching as far north as the Midlands – hence the common name “Midland hawthorn” (Thomas et al., 2021). Hawthorn is also valued as an ornamental tree for its showy clusters of flowers and for hedging. Like other hawthorns, its fruit and flowers have been used in traditional medicine for heart and circulatory conditions (Thomas et al., 2021). 

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Acknowledgements

This distribution map has been developed by the European Commission Joint Research Centre (partly based on the EUFORGEN map) and released under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC-BY 4.0)

Caudullo, Giovanni; Welk, Erik; San-Miguel-Ayanz, Jesús (2017). Chorological maps and data for the main European woody species. figshare. Collection. https://doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.c.2918528

 

The following experts have contributed to the development of the EUFORGEN distribution maps:

Fazia Krouchi (Algeria), Hasmik Ghalachyan (Armenia), Thomas Geburek (Austria), Berthold Heinze (Austria), Rudi Litschauer (Austria), Rudolf Litschauer (Austria), Michael Mengl (Austria), Ferdinand Müller (Austria), Franz Starlinger (Austria), Valida Ali-zade (Azerbaijan), Vahid Djalal Hajiyev (Azerbaijan), Karen Cox (Belgium), Bart De Cuyper (Belgium), Olivier Desteucq (Belgium), Patrick Mertens (Belgium), Jos Van Slycken (Belgium), An Vanden Broeck (Belgium), Kristine Vander Mijnsbrugge (Belgium), Dalibor Ballian (Bosnia and Herzegovina), Alexander H. Alexandrov (Bulgaria), Alexander Delkov (Bulgaria), Ivanova Denitsa Pandeva (Bulgaria), Peter Zhelev Stoyanov (Bulgaria), Joso Gracan (Croatia), Marilena Idzojtic (Croatia), Mladen Ivankovic (Croatia), Željka Ivanović (Croatia), Davorin Kajba (Croatia), Hrvoje Marjanovic (Croatia), Sanja Peric (Croatia), Andreas Christou (Cyprus), Xenophon Hadjikyriacou (Cyprus), Václav Buriánek (Czech Republic), Jan Chládek (Czech Republic), Josef Frýdl (Czech Republic), Petr Novotný (Czech Republic), Martin Slovacek (Czech Republic), Zdenek Špišek (Czech Republic), Karel Vancura (Czech Republic), Ulrik Bräuner (Denmark), Bjerne Ditlevsen (Denmark), Jon Kehlet Hansen (Denmark), Jan Svejgaard Jensen (Denmark), Kalev Jðgiste (Estonia), Tiit Maaten (Estonia), Raul Pihu (Estonia), Ülo Tamm (Estonia), Arvo Tullus (Estonia), Aivo Vares (Estonia), Teijo Nikkanen (Finland), Sanna Paanukoski (Finland), Mari Rusanen (Finland), Pekka Vakkari (Finland), Leena Yrjänä (Finland), Daniel Cambon (France), Eric Collin (France), Alexis Ducousso (France), Bruno Fady (France), François Lefèvre (France), Brigitte Musch (France), Sylvie Oddou-Muratorio (France), Luc E. Pâques (France), Julien Saudubray (France), Marc Villar (France), Vlatko Andonovski (FYR Macedonia), Dragi Pop-Stojanov (FYR Macedonia), Merab Machavariani (Georgia), Irina Tvauri (Georgia), Alexander Urushadze (Georgia), Bernd Degen (Germany), Jochen Kleinschmit (Germany), Armin König (Germany), Armin König (Germany), Volker Schneck (Germany), Richard Stephan (Germany), H. H. Kausch-Blecken Von Schmeling (Germany), Georg von Wühlisch (Germany), Iris Wagner (Germany), Heino Wolf (Germany), Paraskevi Alizoti (Greece), Filippos Aravanopoulos (Greece), Andreas Drouzas (Greece), Despina Paitaridou (Greece), Aristotelis C. Papageorgiou (Greece), Kostas Thanos (Greece), Sándor Bordács (Hungary), Csaba Mátyás (Hungary), László Nagy (Hungary), Thröstur Eysteinsson (Iceland), Adalsteinn Sigurgeirsson (Iceland), Halldór Sverrisson (Iceland), John Fennessy (Ireland), Ellen O'Connor (Ireland), Fulvio Ducci (Italy), Silvia Fineschi (Italy), Bartolomeo Schirone (Italy), Marco Cosimo Simeone (Italy), Giovanni Giuseppe Vendramin (Italy), Lorenzo Vietto (Italy), Janis Birgelis (Latvia), Virgilijus Baliuckas (Lithuania), Kestutis Cesnavicius (Lithuania), Darius Danusevicius (Lithuania), Valmantas Kundrotas (Lithuania), Alfas Pliûra (Lithuania), Darius Raudonius (Lithuania), Robert du Fays (Luxembourg), Myriam Heuertz (Luxembourg), Claude Parini (Luxembourg), Fred Trossen (Luxembourg), Frank Wolter (Luxembourg), Joseph Buhagiar (Malta), Eman Calleja (Malta), Ion Palancean (Moldova), Dragos Postolache (Moldova), Gheorghe Postolache (Moldova), Hassan Sbay (Morocco), Tor Myking (Norway), Tore Skrøppa (Norway), Anna Gugala (Poland), Jan Kowalczyk (Poland), Czeslaw Koziol (Poland), Jan Matras (Poland), Zbigniew Sobierajski (Poland), Maria Helena Almeida (Portugal), Filipe Costa e Silva (Portugal), Luís Reis (Portugal), Maria Carolina Varela (Portugal), Ioan Blada (Romania), Alexandru-Lucian Curtu (Romania), Lucian Dinca (Romania), Georgeta Mihai (Romania), Mihai Olaru (Romania), Gheorghe Parnuta (Romania), Natalia Demidova (Russian Federation), Mikhail V. Pridnya (Russian Federation), Andrey Prokazin (Russian Federation), Srdjan Bojovic (Serbia) , Vasilije Isajev (Serbia), Saša Orlovic (Serbia), Rudolf Bruchánik (Slovakia), Roman Longauer (Slovakia), Ladislav Paule (Slovakia), Gregor Bozič (Slovenia), Robert Brus (Slovenia), Katarina Celič (Slovenia), Hojka Kraigher (Slovenia), Andrej Verlič (Slovenia), Marjana Westergren (Slovenia), Ricardo Alía (Spain), Josefa Fernández-López (Spain), Luis Gil Sanchez (Spain), Pablo Gonzalez Goicoechea (Spain), Santiago C. González-Martínez (Spain), Sonia Martin Albertos (Spain), Eduardo Notivol Paino (Spain), María Arantxa Prada (Spain), Alvaro Soto de Viana (Spain), Lennart Ackzell (Sweden), Jonas Bergquist (Sweden), Sanna Black-Samuelsson (Sweden), Jonas Cedergren (Sweden), Gösta Eriksson (Sweden), Markus Bolliger (Switzerland), Felix Gugerli (Switzerland), Rolf Holderegger (Switzerland), Peter Rotach (Switzerland), Marcus Ulber (Switzerland), Sven M.G. de Vries (The Netherlands), Khouja Mohamed Larbi (Tunisia), Murat Alan (Turkey), Gaye Kandemir (Turkey), Gursel Karagöz (Turkey), Zeki Kaya (Turkey), Hasan Özer (Turkey), Hacer Semerci (Turkey), Ferit Toplu (Turkey), Mykola M. Vedmid (Ukraine), Roman T. Volosyanchuk (Ukraine), Stuart A'Hara (United Kingdom), Joan Cottrell (United Kingdom), Colin Edwards (United Kingdom), Michael Frankis (United Kingdom), Jason Hubert (United Kingdom), Karen Russell (United Kingdom), C.J.A. Samuel (United Kingdom).
 

Status of Crataegus laevigata conservation in Europe

Genetic summary

Genetic diversity and variation 

The centre of genetic diversity for hawthorns is thought to be between Türkiye and Iran, where many species occur and where polyploidy (having more than two complete sets of chromosomes) has contributed to the genus’ genetic complexity (Donmez, 2004). Hawthorn shows low levels of genetic diversity compared with other genera in the Rosaceae family; studies show diversity is limited, with populations dominated by a few widespread haplotypes (Fineschi et al., 2005; Thomas et al., 2021). Genetic differentiation among populations is moderate, with hawthorn showing higher differentiation than common hawthorn. This suggests lower gene flow between hawthorn populations, reflecting its more-restricted distribution compared with the wider distribution of common hawthorn (Fineschi et al., 2005; Thomas et al., 2021). 

Genetic distribution and clustering 

Genetic studies of hawthorn show that haplotypes are widely distributed across its European range, with little to no geographic structuring (Thomas et al., 2021). Four haplotypes have been identified across European populations, with one dominant haplotype present in about 75% of hawthorn (Fineschi et al., 2005; Thomas et al., 2021). 

There is also extensive haplotype sharing between hawthorn and its close relative common hawthorn, which contributes to the lack of clear geographic clustering. This overlap suggests that the two species have a history of shared ancestry or introgression, limiting genetic differentiation between them (Thomas et al., 2021). 

Gene flow 

Hawthorn is pollinated by insects, and its fruit are dispersed by birds and other animals. Some haplotypes in hawthorn are shared over wide areas, suggesting efficient seed dispersal in the species (Fineschi et al., 2005). 

 

The bibliographic review was conducted by James Chaplin of the EUFORGEN Secretariat in August 2025.

Further relevant genetic traits

Interspecific Taxa dynamics 

Hawthorn is known for high polymorphism, frequent hybridization, apomictic reproduction (a form of asexual reproduction where plants produce seeds and offspring that are genetically identical to the parent plant), and complex evolutionary dynamics (Donmez, 2004). Genetic diversity of hawthorn is strongly influenced by its relationship with common hawthorn. Historically, hawthorn and common hawthorn were treated as a single taxon, Crataegus oxyacantha, later rejected as ambiguous (Thomas et al., 2021). The two species are inter-fertile, with few barriers to hybridization. Disturbance and fragmentation have increasingly allowed common hawthorn to spread into ancient woodlands and hybridize with hawthorn. This has led to high amounts of introgression, making pure hawthorn scarce in parts of Europe (Thomas et al., 2021). 

Most haplotypes are shared between hawthorn and common hawthorn, with high levels of introgression making the differentiation between these two species unclear and homogenizing their genetic variation (Fineschi et al., 2005). The hybrid, hybrid midland hawthorn (Crataegus × media) is a commonly cultivated species. 

 

The bibliographic review was conducted by James Chaplin of the EUFORGEN Secretariat in August 2025.

Genetic conservation

Threats 

The main threat to the genetic diversity of hawthorn is extensive hybridization with common hawthorn, which is homogenizing the species and making pure hawthorn scarce (Donmez, 2004). This process is strongly driven by human activity, including habitat disturbance, fragmentation, and human-mediated dispersal, which expand areas of overlap and facilitate mixing between the two species. 

Management 

Management of the genetic diversity of hawthorn requires monitoring of hybrid zones, conserving intact ancient woodland habitats, and limiting further fragmentation to maintain populations of genetically distinct hawthorn. However, research into the genetic diversity of hawthorn is limited and further research is to be encouraged. 

 

The bibliographic review was conducted by James Chaplin of the EUFORGEN Secretariat in August 2025.

Genetic Characterisation of Crataegus laevigata and its GCUs

Availability of FRM

FOREMATIS

Further resading

Lo, E.Y., Stefanović, S., Christensen, K.I., and Dickinson, T.A. 2009. Evidence for genetic association between East Asian and western North American Crataegus L. (Rosaceae) and rapid divergence of the eastern North American lineages based on multiple DNA sequences. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution, 51(2): 157–168. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ympev.2009.01.018 

Yildiz, E., Sümbül, A., Yaman, M., Nadeem, M.A., Say, A., Baloch, F.S., and Popescu, G.C. 2023. Assessing the genetic diversity in hawthorn (Crataegus spp.) genotypes using morphological, phytochemical and molecular markers. Genetic Resources and Crop Evolution, 70(1): 135–146. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10722-022-01414-6 

References

Donmez, A.A. 2004. The genus Crataegus L.(Rosaceae) with special reference to hybridisation and biodiversity in Turkey. Turkish Journal of Botany, 28(1): 29–37. https://journals.tubitak.gov.tr/botany/vol28/iss1/4/ 

Fineschi, S., Salvini, D., Turchini, D., Pastorelli, R., and Vendramin, G.G. 2005. Crataegus monogyna Jacq. and C. laevigata (Poir.) DC. (Rosaceae, Maloideae) display low level of genetic diversity assessed by chloroplast markers. Plant Systematics and Evolution, 250(3): 187–196. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00606-004-0228-x 

Thomas, P.A., Leski, T., La Porta, N., Dering, M., and Iszkuło, G. 2021. Biological flora of the British Isles: Crataegus laevigata. Journal of Ecology, 109(1): 572–596. https://doi.org/10.1111/1365-2745.13541 

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