Pink Hawthorn Blossom

[Peter W]

I found this hawthorn (C. monogyna) with attractively coloured blossom growing in a hedgerow near me. I know garden centres sell varieties such as this, but from its context I would be surprised if it had been planted. Do these variants occur naturally?

[thunder]

Pink tinges in Hawthorn blossom are usually regarded as signs of cultivars in the genetic make-up. Most hedges are planted and it seems likely that the one in which you found this example was planted using not strictly native stock. It could also be from a seed dropped by a bird.

henrya

[Dorts]

Originally Posted by Peter W

I found this hawthorn (C. monogyna) with attractively coloured blossom growing in a hedgerow near me. I know garden centres sell varieties such as this, but from its context I would be surprised if it had been planted. Do these variants occur naturally?

Yes, pink and occasionally quite deep red Hawthorn can be found truly wild. It is from these coloured forms that many of our 'garden varieties' originally came.
Dorts.

[Peter W]

Mant thanks.

Peter

[jeremiah]

"I know garden centres sell varieties such as this"

They don't, you know.
The only non-white varieties available are double, useless for wildlife.
I've been looking for a single flowered pink variety for years.

I once saw a single branch of clear pink single hawthorn on an otherwise all-white bush. It was growing next to a railway station platform. I never thought to take a cutting and BR cut the bush down the next year.

[Dorts]

Originally Posted by jeremiah

"I know garden centres sell varieties such as this"

They don't, you know.
The only non-white varieties available are double, useless for wildlife.
I've been looking for a single flowered pink variety for years.

I once saw a single branch of clear pink single hawthorn on an otherwise all-white bush. It was growing next to a railway station platform. I never thought to take a cutting and BR cut the bush down the next year.

My fault, I didn't make myself clear.
I was refering to coloured Hawthorns in general, rather than being specific about single or double forms.
I agree, most pink/red Hawthorns found in the wild are indeed double (as are the common garden varieties), though I have come across some very atractive, coloured forms with single flowers.
Dorts.

[PMJ]

I've been confusing myself with the Hawthorns. Is this a Midland Hawthorn or a pink ordinary Hawthorn?

[Dorts]

Originally Posted by PMJ

I've been confusing myself with the Hawthorns. Is this a Midland Hawthorn or a pink ordinary Hawthorn?

It's a Common Hawthorn - Crataegus monogyna, and a lovely example of the pink-flowered form.
You can tell it's not a Midland Hawthorn as it only has one style; Midland H. has two or three.

Just to clear up some confusion. Pink and Red-flowered forms of Hawthorns occur naturally in the wild, both with single and double flowers. Garden varieties originally came from these plants. But through many years of 'selective breeding' there are now many named varieties avalable.
Dorts.

[jeremiah]

"there are now many named varieties avalable."

Dorts - there don't seem to be that many named varieties and they are all "Midland":

Crataegus laevigata - Paul's Scarlet - double
Crataegus laevigata - Rosea Flora plena - double
Crataegus laevigata - "plena" (white) - double
Crataegus laevigata - Crimson Cloud - single

You can have as much Crataegus Monogyna as you want (in bundles of fifty!), but they are all white.
I would love a "single" pink Monogyna, but they don't seem to sell them.
People probably see them all the time and think, oh, there's another pink one but don't think of the possible commercial value.

[Dorts]

Originally Posted by jeremiah

"there are now many named varieties avalable."
Dorts - there don't seem to be that many named varieties and they are all "Midland":
Crataegus laevigata - Paul's Scarlet - double
Crataegus laevigata - Rosea Flora plena - double
Crataegus laevigata - "plena" (white) - double
Crataegus laevigata - Crimson Cloud - single

jeremiah
There are over 60 different species and varieties of Hawthorn listed in 'Plant Finder', and this is only a very small part of the hundreds of species to be found around the world, (some say over a 1,000!), many of which can be seen at Kew.

We Have two species here in Britain, they are:
Common Hawthorn - Crataegus monogyna, and
Midland Hawthorn - Crataegus oxycantha (syn.Crataegus laevigata)

Common Hawthorn comes in the varieties;
'Biflora', 'Compacta', 'Ferox' 'Flexuosa' 'Stricta' and 'Variegata'

Midland Hawthorn comes in the varieties;
'Coccinea Plena', Crimson Cloud', 'Flora Plena', 'Mutabilis', 'Paul's Scarlet', 'Pink Corkscrew', 'Plena' 'Punicea', and 'Rosea Flora Pleno'.

There are also a few varieties available of other Crataegus species.
Dorts.