Out in the Garden

I’ll be the first to admit that I am not the biggest fan of hawthorn trees. When I think of hawthorns, I think of scraggly form, messy fruit, covered in thorns, and generally of little ornamental use in a garden. I make a special exception for the Lavalle hawthorn.

Visitors to the garden may have seen the Lavalle hawthorn (Crataegus x lavallei) on the East Terrace of the Manor House. This specimen has the distinction of being one of the four Portland Heritage trees in the garden. Indicative of the species, this tree has a beautiful irregular, upright form that is much tidier than other species in the hawthorn genus, typically only growing to 25 feet at maturity.

Unlike many hawthorns, this species tends to produce few thorns, although young trees and trees under stress may produce thorns in more abundance. I seldom see significant thorns on the specimen in the garden. In May, the tree is covered in bright white clusters of flowers that are a beacon to pollinators, sometimes so numerous that the tree sounds as if it’s buzzing!  Glossy deep green leaves turn to a pleasant yellow in the fall.  At the same time, the tree sets red-orange berries reminiscent of rose hips that persist deep into the winter months, providing four seasons of interest.  

The tree prefers full sun, but otherwise is not picky about its requirements. It’s highly adaptable to different soil types and is very drought tolerant, so it’s a perfect pick for those parts of the garden where nothing else will grow.

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