Hawthorn trees/shrubs what to do with them?

[Tangler]

Location NH, plant: native hawthorn trees/shrubs.
In my efforts to increase food for deer and turkey would you:
1. Leave alone
2. cut and allow them to stump sprout (reset them)
3. kill (not really serious considering this because they seem like a good native plant but wanted to know what folks thought).
They are in an area I am trying to get more sunlight to the ground to increase growth of food for deer and turkeys. in a bottomland / wetland area. I have killed a lot of maple in this area to increase forb growth and also plan on disturbing the soil. I left some maple stumps untreated to act as mineral stumps (stump sprouts). Thoughts?

 

[Telemark]

1 for the shrubs

2 for the trees

 

[Tangler]

1 for the shrubs

2 for the trees

Thanks!!!

 

[rocksnstumps]

Do you know if your varieties of Hawthorne fall fairly quickly or persist for awhile? My native ones fall mostly in Sept. Think ones like Washington Hawthorne can drop later. For me I don't try to eradicate my Hawthorne but since they are not critical for food as other stuff also around I don't feel too bad dropping some for areas that need more sunlight like edge of food plot or encroaching on trails.

Again they do provide some bennies, just not a major contributor for nutrition due to timing much like my plum

 

[Tangler]

Do you know if your varieties of Hawthorne fall fairly quickly or persist for awhile? My native ones fall mostly in Sept. Think ones like Washington Hawthorne can drop later. For me I don't try to eradicate my Hawthorne but since they are not critical for food as other stuff also around I don't feel too bad dropping some for areas that need more sunlight like edge of food plot or encroaching on trails.

Again they do provide some bennies, just not a major contributor for nutrition due to timing much like my plum

I don’t know what variety they are.
Thanks for the help!

 

[gurgalunas]

IIRC, pears can be grafted to Hawthorne.

When I was in the horticulture field, I recall that Washington Hawthorne got horribly infested with Cedar-hawthorne and cedar-quince rusts in my area.

 

[Bowsnbucks]

We purposely planted Washington hawthorns about 23 years ago at camp to add diversity & for their production of many red berries. The berries attract grouse & turkeys big-time. Deer will browse on the youngest, thornless shoots when they're within reach, but don't harm the hawthorns, really. Birds and critters will spread the berry seeds, so you can end up with more new hawthorn trees popping up. If you have more than you need - cut some down. I don't know if hawthorn stumps will re-sprout .... we've never cut any down.

One thing about hawthorn trees - they need sunlight to produce a good crop of those red berries. Ours are planted where they get plenty of sunlight - along field edges, in logging clearings, etc.

Our location in the mountains of NC Pa. hasn't seen any infestation of cedar-hawthorn or cedar-quince rust. No hawthorn problems at all, really. Guess we're in a lucky, remote spot.

 

[Teeder]

I have an acre that I plan to plant with hawthorn. Probably mixed with witchhazel and a few spruce.

 

[Dantana]

Topwork them to pear, crabapple, or apple. Pear seems to take the best, followed by crabs then apples.

 

[Bowsnbucks]

I have an acre that I plan to plant with hawthorn. Probably mixed with witchhazel and a few spruce.

Ours draw grouse like kids to candy. Many, many flushes over the years. I know of a small ravine in older farm country (not at camp) that's full of hawthorns. Every time Dad, an uncle, and I got near that ravine - deer broke out of it. Seems those dagger thorns kept danger/people out of their bedding hotspot?!

Your planting mix of trees sounds like a winner, Teeder!

 

[Tangler]

Now I am feeling really dumb for cutting down the two I cut down. I didn’t treat the stump because I wanted them to stump sprout but it sounds like I should just let them be ans encourage their growth. Live & learn.