Hedges of frothy white blossom flanking our roads and pathways are just one of the joyous signs of spring. But what is the blossom that so beautifully proclaims the changing of the seasons?
It’s possible that, along with many others, you might assume that the first hedgerow flowers belong to hawthorn bushes. But think again.
The first hedgerow bushes to flower are actually the blackthorns – the harbingers of spring. Their white petals and yellow-tipped stamens sing songs of springtime, even if the snow falls around them.
Hawthorn trees are also known as the May-tree, a name which obviously gives us a big clue to as to when we might see this tree in flower. They are an indicator that summer is not too far away.
So, here is a quick summary of how to tell whether the hedgerow blossom you’re looking at is hawthorn or blackthorn.
Blackthorn (sloe) flowers around March BEFORE the leaves burst.
Hawthorn (May blosson) flowers around May with or AFTER the leaves.
BLACKTHORN
(Prunus spinosa)
- The blackthorn flowers come out before the leaves have burst.
- In the UK, they tend to flower in early March to April. They have an almost almond-like smell when the sun heats the blossom.
- They have purply-black twigs and spines/thorns. They are quite vicious.
- If left to become a tree, they grow to about 7m tall and can live for about 100 years.
- They have quite small, oval, serrated leaves.
- In Autumn, they bear almost black (often with a purple bloom) fruits known as sloes. They are 1-1.5cm in diameter and are great for sloe gin, sloe jelly, and hedgerow jams.
HAWTHORN
(Crataegus monogyna)
- Hawthorn flowers after the leaves have burst (or at a similar time) in about May.
- The creamy flowers often have a pink tinge to them and are highly scented.
- As a tree, the hawthorn is larger than the blackthorn, reaching about 15m.
- As with blackthorn, hawthorn also has spines but they tend to be smaller and they come from the same point as the buds. Because of these spines, the tree is also known as the whitethorn.
- The leaves are deeply lobed and turn a beautiful golden yellow before dropping in Autumn.
- Hawthorn berries are small, deep red haws that have wonderful medicinal properties (connected to the heart and circulation) and make fabulous jams and jellies.
This is the spring time
But not in time’s covenant. Now the hedgerow
Is blanched for an hour with transitory blossom
Of snow, a bloom more sudden
Than that of summer, neither budding nor fading,
[…]
If you came this way,
Taking the route you would be likely to take
From the place you would be likely to come from,
If you came this way in may time, you would find the hedges
White again, in May, with voluptuary sweetness.
It would be the same at the end of the journey,
TS Eliot, Little Gidding.
Isn’t that gorgeous! Thanks Ben.