NOTE: The terms English hawthorn and Crataegus laevigata are identical in this text; in reality, Crataegus laevigata is English hawthorn’s biological word.
English hawthorn is a large shrub or small tree native to western and central Europe and North Africa, but also naturalized in some parts of western North America. It is a dense, thorny-branched plant with multiple stems that criss-cross to form a rounded crown in mature plants. In the spring the plant is covered with small flowers in shades of white, pink, or red, and the leaves are glossy and dark green.
Red fruits can be seen in fall for some varieties. English hawthorn thrives in difficult environments, such as poor air and soil conditions, as well as locations where the roots are confined to small spaces. That’s why it’s a popular choice as a street tree, as well as in urban landscapes, and is also grown as a bonsai or espalier tree. It’s vulnerable to a number of pests and diseases.
Why does my Crataegus laevigata roots have rot?
If left untreated, root rot on your English hawthorn (Crataegus laevigata) can be fatal. For this reason, if the symptoms appear, we highly advise that you adhere to our recommendations to keep your plant alive: Blackened and softened roots.
Why does my English hawthorn have gray mold spots?
A particular fungus that frequently affects flowers and spreads quickly is known as gray mold spots. This fungus is most likely to blame if you see any brown (or gray) spots. Don’t ignore these signs because doing so could cause your plant to die.
Our Solution
The solution is quite logical when you know the cause of the problem. Most of the time, it is due to overwater of the Crataegus laevigata. We advise you to remove the infected parts of the plant, cut off the infected roots and leaves, then repot your plant using sterile potting soil and a clean pot.
Why does my English hawthorn have leaf spots?
If your plants exhibit symptoms like rapid color changes in the leaves or leaves that wilt or droop, we give you all the information you need to recognize them and rescue your plants. For owners of English hawthorn, this kind of illness is among the most distressing.
Why are my English hawthorn leaves turning yellow?
This is probably the most common problem in the gardening world, yellowing leaves. There are 2 main reasons for this phenomenon, overwatering, or a lack of nutrients.
When it’s overwatering, simply reduce your watering frequency, and if you think it’s a nutrient deficiency, here’s how to check it:
Here are some indicators of yellowing on the Crataegus laevigata brought on by its numerous flaws:
- The first symptom of a magnesium deficiency is yellow patches between leaf veins on elder leaves. The leaf’s core turns yellow while the veins stay green. The edges of the leaf yellow last.
- Iron deficiency also shows as yellowing between leaf veins, but it hits young leaves on plant tops and branch tips first.
- The newest leaves are first affected by sulfur deficiency, rendering them completely yellow.
- Leaf edges turning bright yellow but inside leaf remaining green are signs of potassium insufficiency. The symptoms first appear on older leaves, and the leaf edges quickly become dark.
- A lack of nitrogen is indicated by a widespread yellowing. Older, inner leaves are the first to yellow. As the yellowing progresses, it eventually touches young leaves as well.
Our Solution
You only need to respond to the signs mentioned above. A gardening store expert will be able to provide you advice on how to purchase a specific soil to treat a potassium or nitrogen deficiency. Additionally, you can reduce how often you water your plants.
Is my English hawthorn sunburned?
You can easily tell if your English hawthorn (your Crataegus laevigata) has a sunburn. In this case, your plant will change color, starting to turn yellow or white, much like it does on us.
As we saw above, if your English hawthorn receives too much water or not enough light, the leaves may also change color.
To find out if the yellow leaves have been sunburned, look at the part of the bottom that is tinted closer to the base. The yellow leaf is probably burnt and not something else if this portion stays greener.
Why are my English hawthorn leaves turning brown?
A plant’s browning leaves are typically a symptom that it has been sunburned and has been exposed to excessive amounts of direct sunlight. Don’t worry; your plant probably won’t perish as a result, but its growth will be negatively impacted.
Should I leave my Crataegus laevigata in direct sunlight?
No! If your Crataegus laevigata (or English hawthorn) has the symptoms described above, don’t leave it in direct sunlight, that’s the reason why your English hawthorn is in such a state!
Our Solution
As stated in the paragraph above, the cure is straightforward: simply position your plant’s English hawthorn so that it is out of direct sunlight. With proper watering and this method, your plant should quickly come back to life.
Why are my Crataegus laevigata leaves drooping or wilting ?
In most cases, this happens when your Crataegus laevigata lacks water. This is especially the case for large plants, naturally they need more water than others.
An easy way to know if your Crataegus laevigata is lacking water is to under-weigh its pot, if it looks light, it means that the soil and the roots are probably quite dry, and therefore need water!
Our Solution
If the soil in your plant’s pot is completely dry, you will need to start by moistening it so that the roots will also benefit from the water. A common mistake is to drown the English hawthorn right after a dry period thinking that it needs a lot of water.
This is true, but the easiest way to end it is to give too much water at once. Instead, you should water the soil properly, returning to a peaceful watering rhythm.
Caring Tips for Crataegus laevigata
Water Occasionally
Water is necessary for your plant to live, but timing and amount of watering must be balanced. Overwatering could have disastrous effects on your own name, as we already mentioned.
You can tell if your plant needs water by touching the soil; if it still feels damp, it’s usually preferable to wait a few more days.
Always keep temperatures stable
It’s also a good idea to keep your Crataegus laevigata at a constant temperature, especially if it’s kept indoors. In general, at GreenShack, we suggest booking a temperature between 65 and 85 degrees F. Of course, keep your Crataegus laevigata away from radiators, air conditioners, and other sources of hot or cold air.
Keep your English hawthorn Dust-Free
This one is about houseplants. Your indoor plants’ leaves get dusty just like your furniture does. The problem is that this might prevent photosynthesis from beginning, which would result in the plants gradually losing their color.
This would also make the pests happy, a real descent into hell for your English hawthorn.
Take a microfiber cloth and gently massage the plant’s leaves to get rid of the dust. Use a damp cloth to make dust removal easier, but avoid using corrosive materials like rubbing alcohol!
Keep drainage in mind
If you have a tendency to overwater, you need to keep an eye on your drainage, we advise you to opt for a pot with drainage holes if it is not already the case and a saucer.
If your pots don’t already have holes in them, you can add volcanic rocks (or any other pebbles with holes) to the bottom of your pot in the meantime. This will assist in creating a channel and keep the water from pooling there for an extended period of time, protecting the roots from decay.
