Crataegus laevigata Crimson Cloud - Hawthorn

The Crataegus laevigata 'Crimson Cloud' is a very hardy and undemanding variety of Hawthorn, with a medium development. Ideal for small spaces, this small tree brightens up spring with its beautiful scarlet flowers. They bloom in April-May and sometimes again in autumn. It is an ornamental cultivar with bright red flowers with a white centre. It is characterised by shiny dark green leaves, nicely cut, which turn orange in autumn. It also produces small red fruits that will persist throughout winter and delight birds and wildlife.

The Crataegus laevigata, formerly known as Crataegus oxyacantha, is also called Smooth Hawthorn, Two-Style Hawthorn, or Thorny Hawthorn. It belongs to the Rosaceae family, just like the wild rose and the plum tree. It is a botanical species native to central and Southern Europe, and North America, where it grows in deciduous or mixed forests, in clearings, or even in open terrain (meadow). Common in northern France, it is found throughout the country, but less frequently than its close relative Crataegus monogyna, the White Hawthorn. The term Crataegus comes from the Greek word cratos, meaning: resistant. In the past, hawthorn wood was used to cut logs destined for the execution of condemned individuals. Oxyacantha comes from the Greek words oxus, meaning: acute, and akantha, meaning: thorn. Crataegus laevigata is a thorny hawthorn that differs from Crataegus monogyna (single-style hawthorn) by its spreading branches and its leaves, which have 3 slightly pronounced lobes at the top and are distinctly wedge-shaped at the base. The flower of Crataegus laevigata has 2 or 3 styles and its fruit has two stones, while Crataegus monogyna has leaves with clearly and deeply lobed 3, 5, or 7 toothed lobes, a flower with a single style, and the fruit contains a single stone. Crataegus laevigata is also known for its medicinal properties. Commonly used for creating countryside hedges, it also serves as a rootstock for medlar and pear trees.

The 'Crimson Cloud' variety is a hybrid between the 'Charles X' and 'Paul's Scarlet' varieties. It forms a small, upright and spreading tree, in a bushy clump, composed of many shoots arising from the same stump, reaching a height of 3 to 5 m and a spread of 2 to 3 m at maturity. Its numerous flexible and trailing branches give it a weeping appearance. Its growth is normal. The bark of the trunk is grey-brown and scaly, and the short stems are spiny and purple. Its deciduous foliage is alternate, composed of simple, ovate leaves, 2 to 5 cm long, with 3 to 5 toothed lobes. They are shiny dark green, with a duller underside. In April-May, simple flowers appear, grouped in small clusters. They are red with a white centre, with two or three styles, and red stamens. They emit a strong, harsh, and relatively unpleasant fragrance. In September-October, shiny red fruits, pear-shaped, about 1.5 to 2 cm in diameter, called haws, appear. They are inedible for humans, but highly appreciated by birds.

The Crimson Cloud Hawthorn is a very robust shrub, resistant to winter temperatures down to -30C°. It adapts to a wide range of well-drained soils, even limestone, but not excessively dry. It will thrive in a sunny or semi-shaded position, and a balanced pruning in February will suffice. With its moderate growth, this shrub integrates well into any type of garden, whether as a specimen or in a mass planting. Resistant to pollution and sea spray, it is an excellent choice for urban gardens or coastal areas. It will bring refinement and elegance to your space. It can be planted in an ecological hedge, with pyracanthas, ornamental apple trees, cotoneasters, wild pear trees, quince trees, or European spindle trees, for example. In this way, it will provide shelter and food for many insects, birds, and small mammals.