Monostyle hawthorn

This hawthorn (Crataegus monogyna) belongs to the rose-like family, just like apples and pears. It is a thorny shrub or small tree that can grow very old. The fruits are spherical or egg-shaped, about one cm long, deep red and ripe in September. The berries provide food for the birds in winter.

Before the invention of barbed wire, hawthorn, often along with other thorn bushes, was used as a hedge to keep cattle in the pasture. Such hedges were often laid or braided to keep the cattle even better indoors.

Agentschap voor Natuur en Bos