Common hawthorn vs Midland hawthorn

Common hawthorn and Midland hawthorn are often considered for the same spot in the garden (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 PLN 58

Midland hawthorn

Crataegus laevigata 4 m × 3 m after 10 years

Midland hawthorn is sold almost only as the red-flowered 'Paul's Scarlet': a small ornamental tree with a rounded crown that is completely covered…

Small tree

Full sun

Part shade

from about PLN 60

Key differences

Common hawthorn tolerates drought better than Midland hawthorn.
Common hawthorn needs less water than Midland hawthorn.
Common hawthorn needs less care than Midland hawthorn.

Which one to choose?

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

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.

Midland hawthorn

Hawthorn is a host of fire blight (Erwinia amylovora): infected shoots suddenly turn brown, then black, and bend over like a hook, and the disease can move to nearby apples, pears and quinces, so do not plant it beside fruit trees and cut diseased parts back into healthy wood. In humid, rainy summers leaf spot and rust can hit it so hard that the tree drops much of its foliage as early as late June or July. Powdery mildew, aphids and leaf-eating caterpillars also occur. Because of the sharp 2.5 cm thorns, use only clear-stemmed trees next to play areas and paths.

The data side by side

Feature	Common hawthorn	Midland hawthorn
Group	Small tree	Small tree
Size after 10 years	4 m × 3 m (uncertain)	4 m × 3 m (uncertain)
Ultimate size	4–9 m × 4–8 m	4–8 m × 4–8 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
Hardiness	down to -29 °C (USDA 4, RHS H7)	down to -29 °C (USDA 4, RHS H7)
Heat tolerance	High (uncertain)	Medium (uncertain)
Foliage	Deciduous	Deciduous
Flowering	May–June, white (uncertain)	May–June, white, pink, red (uncertain)
Water need	Low	Medium
Drought tolerance	High	Medium
Maintenance	Low	Medium
Planting distance	250 cm	500 cm
For dogs	Non-toxic	Non-toxic
For cats	Non-toxic	Non-toxic
For children	Non-toxic (uncertain)	Non-toxic (uncertain)
Typical price	approx. PLN 60	approx. PLN 60

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 26, 2026

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