Common hawthorn vs Eastern redbud

Common hawthorn and Eastern redbud are often considered for the same spot in the garden (pollinator friendly, flowers, specimen). The data below shows where they differ: size, hardiness, care, toxicity and price.

Common hawthorn

Crataegus monogyna 4 m × 3 m after 10 years

A thorny large shrub or small tree that is covered in scented white blossom in May and loaded with red haws in autumn, much loved by birds. It makes…

Small tree

Full sun

Part shade

from about €1.30

Eastern redbud

Cercis canadensis 3.5 m × 3 m after 10 years

Eastern redbud is a small, often multi-stemmed ornamental tree: in spring, before the leaves, rosy pink to purple pea flowers cover the bare…

Small tree

Full sun

Part shade

from about €47

Key differences

Common hawthorn tolerates drought better than Eastern redbud.
Common hawthorn needs less water than Eastern redbud.
Common hawthorn needs less care than Eastern redbud.
Common hawthorn has thorns, Eastern redbud does not.
Common hawthorn is cheaper: about €3.50 at the same size (60–100 cm), against about €100 for Eastern redbud.

Which one to choose?

Common hawthorn is the better choice if you cannot water regularly, you have little time for care or price matters.

Eastern redbud is the better choice if it goes next to a path or play area.

Watch out for

Common hawthorn

In Central Europe its main disease is fire blight (Erwinia amylovora): shoot tips blacken and hook over, and affected wood must be cut back well into healthy tissue; do not plant it near apple and pear orchards. By late summer leaf spot, powdery mildew and rust often disfigure the foliage, and aphids, caterpillars and gall mites may appear. Birds spread the seeds, so seedlings can pop up around the garden.

Eastern redbud

Its most serious disease is canker (a fungal infection that kills branches), and verticillium wilt can also take it; the purple-leaved Forest Pansy is particularly susceptible to the latter. The purple-leaved cultivars are less hardy than the green species: on young trees hard winter frost, cold wind and late spring frost can damage the shoots. In the hot summers of Central Europe the leaves scorch in full sun without watering, and the purple colour turns green in the heat. The wood is brittle, so branches split easily in wind and under snow, and the tree is not long-lived. It does not tolerate waterlogged soil.

The data side by side

Feature	Common hawthorn	Eastern redbud
Group	Small tree	Small tree
Size after 10 years	4 m × 3 m (uncertain)	3.5 m × 3 m (uncertain)
Ultimate size	4–9 m × 4–8 m	4–9 m × 4–9 m
Growth rate	Medium (uncertain)	Medium
Light	Full sun, Part shade	Full sun, Part shade
Soil	Average garden soil, Clay, Sandy, Calcareous	Average garden soil, Clay, Sandy, Calcareous, Acidic
Hardiness	down to -29 °C (USDA 4, RHS H7)	down to -29 °C (USDA 4, RHS H7)
Heat tolerance	High (uncertain)	Medium
Foliage	Deciduous	Deciduous
Flowering	May–June, white (uncertain)	April–May, pink, purple
Water need	Low	Medium
Drought tolerance	High	Low
Maintenance	Low	Medium
Planting distance	250 cm	400 cm
For dogs	Non-toxic	Non-toxic (uncertain)
For cats	Non-toxic	Non-toxic (uncertain)
For children	Non-toxic (uncertain)	Non-toxic
Typical price	about €3.50 (60–100 cm)	about €100 (60–100 cm)

Prices are rounded, indicative values. Toxicity data is for information only. If your pet or child has eaten a plant, contact a vet or a doctor. Data updated: October 17, 2026

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