Crataegus mollis #1 at Cathays Cemetery

Crataegus mollis 0

Crataegus mollis new leaves emerging
late March 2021

Crataegus mollis 1

Crataegus mollis Crataegus monogyna flowers
mid May 2021

Grid reference ST 18034 78358
Common name Red haw
Common name Scarlet thorn
Common name Downy hawthorn
Alternative name Crataegus coccinea var. mollis
Origin East North America
Deciduous Yes
Status Rare
Map section Y
Planted by Malcolm Frazer c.1995
Height 6M April 2021
Girth Inaccessible
Reference 661

This tree is at the south end, the more southerly of the two Crataegus mollis trees roughly in the centre of map section Y.

Its foliage seems to be of two different kinds and the reason is unclear. (This also applies to the other C. mollis nearby.) Both trees were purchased from the same supplier. They were probably grown via grafting and it is quite possible that Crataegus monogyna root stock was used.

Unfortunately it is not possible to gain access to the lower trunk, but it appears that the trunk is multi-stem and that the C. monogyna and C. mollis are growing on different stems. In support of this, one set of leaves and flower buds bear a good resemblance to C. monogyna. By mid/late May the C. mollis flowers had dropped and the C. monogyna flowers prevailed.

The measured height given above is that of the composite tree with no reference as to whether the apex is C. mollis or C. monogyna.

The images below are captioned to differentiate between C. mollis and C. monogyna.

The following table gives the approximate physical measurements of examined haws together with the number of pips found within them.

Diameter mm Length mm No. of pips
14 16 6
16 17 6

These are the characteristics of the Crataegus mollis fruit. The first haw was taken in early October 2021 and the second in mid November 2021. Haws on this tree were scarce.

Crataegus mollis bark

Crataegus mollis bark
early April 2021

Crataegus mollis foliage10

Crataegus mollis C. monogyna new foliage
late March 2021

Crataegus mollis bud1

Crataegus mollis flower buds & leaves
late April 2021

Crataegus mollis flower1

Crataegus mollis flowers & leaves
late April 2021

Crataegus mollis flower2

Crataegus mollis flowers & leaves
late April 2021

Crataegus mollis flower3

Crataegus mollis flowers
late April 2021

Crataegus mollis flower10

Crataegus mollis C. monogyna flowers
late April 2021

Crataegus mollis flower11

Crataegus mollis C. monogyna flowers
late April 2021

Crataegus mollis fruit1

Crataegus mollis fruit
early July 2021

Crataegus mollis fruit2

Crataegus mollis fruit
late August 2021

Crataegus mollis fruit3

Crataegus mollis C. monogyna fruit
late August 2021

Crataegus mollis fruit4

Crataegus mollis C. monogyna fruit
late september 2021

Crataegus mollis fruit5

Crataegus mollis fruit
late september 2021

Crataegus mollis tbud1

Crataegus mollis terminal bud
mid November 2021

Crataegus mollis tbud2

Crataegus mollis terminal bud opening
mid March 2022

General tree description

Crataegus mollis is a small, wide-spreading tree up to 10 to 12 metres tall, with grey-brown scaly bark. Older stems may have thorns 2.5 to 5cm long. The leaves are big and broadly ovate - up to 12cm long and almost as wide. They are pointed and sharply toothed, with four to seven shallow lobes, and rounded or heart-shaped at the base. Both surfaces are downy. The flowers are white, 2.5cm across, and have about 20 stamens with pale yellow anthers. The fruits are red downy haws, up to 25mm long, containing four or five pips.