Hawthorn with no blossom.

[goosey]

A gardening question really.
At the begining of April I bought a Hawthorn (Crataegus monogyna), space being a premium in the garden and it being pathed meant it had to go in a pot. At the time it was practically bare of leaves. Now however, it has a mass of foliage but there are no sign of any flower buds. Is this to be expected in a plant which s about 4foot tall in it's fisrt year - or have I been unlucky?

[paul m]

Another one of my 'yes, no, maybe' answers. Small plants do not flower very profusely - I would expect not to get much blossom until three years after establishment (more or less!).

On the other hand, there is considerable genetic variation - some trees have flowers, others don't .... but assuming that these have been propagated from cuttings rather than seed, you would not expect a dud.

On the third hand, soil nutrition may have some effect - if your soil is very rich then it may produce leaf rather than flower. The best way to get a lot of bloom out of most plants is to starve them - you end up with a dead plant after flowering, of course but ....

Looking at this picture, you can see great variation in flowering (and flower:leaf ratio); the smaller, younger bushes are virtually flowerless ....

Originally Posted by goosey

.........
At the begining of April I bought a Hawthorn (Crataegus monogyna), space being a premium in the garden and it being pathed meant it had to go in a pot. At the time it was practically bare of leaves. Now however, it has a mass of foliage but there are no sign of any flower buds. Is this to be expected in a plant which s about 4foot tall in it's fisrt year - or have I been unlucky?

[goosey]

Originally Posted by paul m

Another one of my 'yes, no, maybe' answers. Small plants do not flower very profusely - I would expect not to get much blossom until three years after establishment (more or less!).

I have found this. Autumn 2006 I planted a magnolia (in a pot) and in 2007 it didn't flower - I was very dissapointed. But last week we had "4" flowers .
I shall hope for a bit of hawthorne blossom next year.

On the third hand, soil nutrition may have some effect - if your soil is very rich then it may produce leaf rather than flower. The best way to get a lot of bloom out of most plants is to starve them - you end up with a dead plant after flowering, of course but ....

I put mine in normal potting compost - but should imagine most of the nutrients will soon dissapear.

Looking at this picture, you can see great variation in flowering (and flower:leaf ratio); the smaller, younger bushes are virtually flowerless ....

Thats a great looking tree!

Actually, talking of Hawthorne, when I was little, I brought some into the house from th garden for my mum and she took it outside and said it was unlucky to have in the house!

[paul m]

Yes, this still happens.

Originally Posted by goosey

..........., when I was little, I brought some into the house from th garden for my mum and she took it outside and said it was unlucky to have in the house!

One view is that hawthorn was a great fertility symbol: dancing around the may pole may well have been dancing around the may tree, originally.
When Christianity took hold those things which had been worshipped, regarded as good luck &c were outlawed and regarded as bad luck &c .....
e.g.
The hawthorn tree - Queen of the May

[Bub-les]

Originally Posted by goosey

Actually, talking of Hawthorne, when I was little, I brought some into the house from th garden for my mum and she took it outside and said it was unlucky to have in the house!

Reminds me of a Sunday morning, coming home from church, many moons ago when I'd picked a spray and put it in my button hole. My father saw it and marched me out of the house and told me I couldn't come in till I'd removed it! He was not at all happy with me!
Barbara