Crataegus rhipidophylla
Broad-leaved hawthorn

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Broad-leaved hawthorn, sometimes known as large-spalled hawthorn (Crataegus rhipidophylla) is a shrub or small tree. It is closely related to common hawthorn (Crataegus monogyna) but distinguishable by its broader, less deeply lobed leaves, larger flowers, and larger fruits. Broad-leaved hawthorn is found in wooded environments and forest edges, unlike common hawthorn, which thrives in open, disturbed habitats. Nonetheless, broad-leaved hawthorn demonstrates a wide ecological niche, tolerating varied conditions across its range (Oklejewicz et al., 2013). 

Broad-leaved hawthorn is native to much of Europe and extends into western Asia. However, it is less widespread and abundant than common hawthorn. Broad-leaved hawthorn is less commonly used or cultivated than other hawthorn species but, like other hawthorn species, provides ecological services, offering nectar for pollinators and fruit for birds and mammals. 

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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).
 

Research specific to common hawthorn is limited; almost all available genetic analyses focus on the hawthorn genus as a whole or more common species. Based on broader studies, broad-leaved hawthorn is assumed to have moderate to high genetic diversity and clustering across populations (Yildiz et al., 2021). Genus-wide analyses for hawthorn show substantial morphological, biochemical, and molecular variation, suggesting that broad-leaved hawthorn also maintains a high level of genetic variation (Yildiz et al., 2021). Gene flow within hawthorn species is considered likely to be high due to insect-mediated pollination and bird-mediated seed dispersal, which applies to broad-leaved hawthorn as well. 

 

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

Interspecific Taxa dynamics 

The genetic history of broad-leaved hawthorn is strongly shaped by interspecific hybridization. Research suggests it is an ancient, stabilized hybrid between common hawthorn and whitethorn (Crataegus calycina var. lindmanii), now treated by Kew Plants of the World Online as a synonym of Crataegus rhipidophylla var. rhipidophylla, with pollen traits and morphologies intermediate between parental species (Wrońska-Pilarek, Bocianowski, and Jagodziński, 2013). It also shows greater similarity to hybrids than to other pure species such as common hawthorn, supporting its hybrid origin and introgression history (Wrońska-Pilarek, Bocianowski, and Jagodziński, 2013). 

Hybridization continues to influence the species today. Several hybrids involving broad-leaved hawthorn are known, including Crataegus × macrocarpa, a cross between broad-leaved hawthorn and Midland/English hawthorn (Crataegus laevigata) and Crataegus × subsphaerica, a cross between broad-leaved hawthorn and common hawthorn (Kuhn, Jancsó, and Ruprecht, 2020). These dynamics indicate semi-permeable species boundaries, where gene flow between species continues (Kuhn, Jancsó, and Ruprecht, 2020). 

Landscape change caused by human activity, such as forest clearing and habitat fragmentation, has increased opportunities for hybridization, changing genetic structures and promoting gene flow among hawthorns (Oklejewicz et al., 2013). Hybrids may also provide ecological plasticity by mediating between forest and open habitats, offering adaptive value in dynamic landscapes (Oklejewicz et al., 2013). 

 

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

Threats 

The threats to and management of the genetic diversity of broad-leaved hawthorn are not well understood, as very little research has been carried out on the species specifically. While studies on the hawthorn genus suggest risks from habitat fragmentation, anthropogenic disturbance, and hybridization, it is not clear how these processes impact broad-leaved hawthorn. 

Management 

No targeted management strategies have been developed, meaning that conservation actions are often inferred from related species. Further research is therefore needed to clarify the specific genetic threats and to design effective measures to conserve the genetic integrity of broad-leaved hawthorn. 

 

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

Further reading

NA 

References

Kuhn, T., Jancsó, B., and Ruprecht, E. 2020. Hawthorn (Crataegus L.) taxa and their hybrids in north-western Romania: a recommendation for national identification keys based on morphometric analyses. Contributii Botanice, 55: 7–26. 

Oklejewicz, K., Chwastek, E., Szewczyk, M., Bobiec, A., and Mitka, J. 2013. Distribution of Crataegus (Rosaceae) in SE Poland along a gradient of anthropogenic influence. Polish Journal of Ecology, 61(4): 683–691. 

Wrońska-Pilarek, D., Bocianowski, J., and Jagodziński, A.M. 2013. Comparison of pollen grain morphological features of selected species of the genus Crataegus (Rosaceae) and their spontaneous hybrids. Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society, 172(4): 555–571. https://doi.org/10.1111/boj.12033 

Yildiz, E., Yaman, M., Sümbül, A., and Say, A. 2021. Elucidation of genetic diversity as morphological, phytochemical and molecular markers in some hawthorn (Crataegus) genotypes [preprint]. On: Research Square. Posted 29 December 2021. Accessed 10 December 2025. https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-1202879/v1 

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