Common hawthorn bonsai care

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Common hawthorn is a thorny, deciduous, and very hardy bush or small tree. It has a finely-branched growth habit which produces thick crossing branches. However, they are slow growing.

The tree has shiny, lobed and toothed leaves that are dark green in color. During autumn, the leaves of the trees turn reddish-yellow.

In late spring, the tree bears dense clusters of white flowers followed by dense clusters of small crimson red haws in the fall.

Common hawthorn is a vigorous and easy-to-train plant. Depending on the variety of the tree, it produces flowers that can be white, pink or red in color.

Few things that make Common Hawthorn one of the most favored flowering bonsai tree are:

1. Small leaves and natural compact growth make it ideal for bonsai.
2. As the tree matures, it develops an attractive gnarled trunks.
3. In the autumn, English hawthorn also displays a beautiful color.
4. Its strongly fragrant cluster of flowers.

Common Hawthorn bonsai is ideal for many styles of bonsai except the formal upright and broom styles.

Another Hawthorn tree that can be used to make a delightful bonsai is English Hawthorn. However, English hawthorn bonsai produces fewer flowers, and the flowers are less fragrant.

Read more about other bonsai trees species in : Types of bonsai tree

Best location to keep Common hawthorn bonsai tree

Common hawthorn bonsai can be kept in full sun throughout the growing season. A bright sunny spot will enhance its show of flowers.

In winter, it does not require any protection, but in late spring, it is advisable to protect flower buds from frost.

There is also no problem with the tree surviving strong winds, but you should avoid strong, dry winds during the winter months.

Protect it from snow and heavy rain.

IMP: Refer to do bonsai trees need sunlight for more indoor and outdoor bonsai location ideas. Also, refer sunlight requirements for indoor plants for more indoor gardening ideas.

Propagation of Common hawthorn bonsai tree

Common hawthorn can be propagated using seeds. The germination takes a lot of time. It will take almost 18 months for the seeds to germinate.

They can also be propagated using cuttings.

You can also acquire an old plant from the wild that has an attractive gnarled trunk to make a beautiful bonsai specimens.

Watering Common hawthorn bonsai tree

During the summer, it is important to water the plants at least once a day. During periods of hot, dry weather, it will be necessary to water the bonsai more frequently.

You should not let the soil dry out because this will cause die-back.

Also, spray some water on the tree during the growing season. This will also protect the tree from mildew.

It is true that the tree needs less water in the winter, but the root-ball should never be allowed to dry out during this time.

Read watering bonsai tree for more details and also about bonsai water immersion technique.

Wiring Common hawthorn bonsai tree

Mid- to late summer is the best time to wire new shoots. It’s not recommended to leave wires on branches for more than a year.

This plant has very hard thorns that can grow to 2 – 2.5 cm in length on most shoots. Be careful of these thorns at the time of wire training.

Read : Detailed guide on How to wire a bonsai. This extensive guide includes all the wiring techniques and Do’s and Dont’s. It will also show you other bonsai training techniques which can be achieved without using wires.

Pruning Common hawthorn bonsai tree

When to prune Common hawthorn bonsai tree?

How to prune Common hawthorn bonsai tree?

Common hawthorn is very tolerant of pruning, even quite radical pruning. You can either do this in the spring or in the autumn (after flowering).

It is advantageous to prune in autumn since more buds will form and the blossoms will be more abundant.

You must leave enough old shoots to allow a lot of new shoots to grow from the old ones. The buds on these are the ones that will bloom next year.

In spring, pinch out terminal shoots.

In the growing season, you can prune the twigs back to two or three leaves.

Do not prune or pinch out excessively after midsummer.

Read how to prune a bonsai to know about the right technique of pruning and more about defoliating a bonsai tree.

Repotting Common hawthorn bonsai tree

When to repot Common hawthorn bonsai tree?

Common hawthorn bonsai can be repotted every two years in early spring. However, it depends on whether the roots are pot-bound or not. Do not repot if there is no need.

The tree will tolerate a variety of soil types. Use a basic free-draining soil mix.

You can also use sharp sand, loam, and peat (or garden compost) in the ratio of 1:2:1.

Please check out how to repot a bonsai to know everything about repotting and root pruning a bonsai.

Must Read: Bonsai Soil Recipes

Must read : Choosing the right bonsai container

Feeding Common hawthorn bonsai tree

Apply general fertilizer twice a month during the growing season.

Read more about bonsai fertilizer and its application. This will also give you more details on how to feed flowering bonsai trees.

Diseases and pest of Common hawthorn bonsai tree

The tree can be infested with scale insects, caterpillars, coral spots or cankers.

Also, in wet summers, this species can be susceptible to mildew. Apply an appropriate fungicide.

Our comprehensive guide: How to identify and treat bonsai pests and diseases is a great resource for you to see all the organic and inorganic remedies you can use.