Thumbs up for Hawthorn trees

[Bowsnbucks]

I don't know how pests & diseases affect hawthorn trees in many other states, but in Northern Pa. they're a SUPER tree to have on your property. We've had some Washington Hawthorns planted ( as well as some generic crabapples ) for about 18 yrs. at my camp. We didn't spray them, only threw a little 10-10-10 around them each year. They produce loads of 3/8 to 1/2" red fruits every year that grouse & turkeys LOVE! They're a grouse MAGNET. Deer eat the drops on their way to our food plots. The dense, thorny nature of hawthorns make safe bedding for the deer, too. Another bonus is the thick, thorny, dense branching makes great nesting cover for many kinds of birds that help eat the insects in apple and pear orchards. Ours have nests scattered throughout them each year.

For us, they've been a big plus to have them planted. Do any of you guys plant hawthorns ( " red haws " ) and what types do you have where you live? Good / bad experiences with them?

 

[greyphase]

Hey Bows

Down here in southcentral Pa (Bedford Co.) I've got both native hawthorn and planted ones mostly from SLN. Agree that they are a reliable producer of berries most years. When hunting grouse and woodcock I'm drawn to any hawthorn patches I can find.

 

[Bowsnbucks]

smsmith - We're lucky at our camp. We don't have any cedars around for miles, so C.A.R. and CHR don't impact us. I know you guys in the Midwest have lots of them. Greyphase - Funny you mentioned woodcock. Until last year I hadn't seen a woodcock in probably 20 yrs. I saw a pair last fall in our hawthorns. I was working stacking some wood right near them and they just kept on picking at the dropped red fruits. Early this spring there was a male and 2 females there. The male was doing his climbing/falling mating flights at dusk trying to impress the ladies! They didn't seem interested in him. But what a sight. Grouse are in the hawthorns like flies in the fall. Can't get near the haws without flushing 2 or 3. The hawthorns are right next to some pines, so the grouse just fly in there & wait for us to leave.

Dropped fruit and birds spreading them have hatched a bunch of free seedlings for us. Planting them yrs. ago was one of our better moves.

 

[NE PA QDM]

i planted 25 am. hawthorne this year from PAGC based on recommendations from people here. this spring i found a few growing naturally around the property, but not many, and the ones that are there have been beaten back by deer browse. i ALMOST sprayed one with gly a few weeks ago while clearing in one of my orchards, it is the biggest one i've found (6') at our place, fortunately i recognized it before i killed it! it is now in good company with the apples and pears and i'll be watching it for birds this fall.

 

[Bowsnbucks]

NE PA QDM - The Washington Hawthorns that the PGC were selling are the same kind we planted at our camp. We caged ours with a 3 ft. dia. cage of concrete mesh to keep the deer off until they got some size to them. The deer only seemed to nip the very ends of the twigs due to the thorns. The deer still browse the lowest hanging limb ends, but once ours got 6 ft. tall or better, they were good to go. Good luck with yours.