Hawthorn Hedging
Crataegus monogyna · Native Quickthorn · Bare root from November

Hawthorn Hedging

Hawthorn hedge plants (Crataegus monogyna), also known as Quickthorn, Whitethorn or May, are a traditional native choice for garden boundaries, country hedges and wildlife planting. This deciduous, thorny hedge produces white spring blossom followed by red haws later in the year and develops a dense network of branches when regularly maintained.Buy Hawthorn hedge plants directly from our established family-run nursery. We supply homeowners, landscapers, trade and commercial customers across the UK, with bare root, pot-grown and seasonal root-balled Hawthorn available according to size and time of year.

Choose the right Hawthorn for your hedge

All our Hawthorn is native Common Hawthorn. Choose the form that suits your planting season, budget and how quickly you need a boundary.
Bare-root Hawthorn whipsThe best value for long garden, field and farm hedges, from 40cm whips to 150cm plants, with bulk packs up to 1,000. Supplied November to March.Pot-grown HawthornPlant outside the bare-root season, fill gaps or plant a short run, in 40–120cm sizes, where you can water through dry spells.Root-balled Hawthorn150–175cm plants for real height on day one. Lifted in the dormant season and best for shorter stretches where structure matters.Native mixed hedgingHawthorn blended with other native species for more flowers, berries and wildlife value than a single-species hedge.
  • SALEHawthorn hedging plantsHawthorn HedgeCrataegus monogynaThe best value for long garden, field and farm hedges, from 40cm whips to 150cm plants, with bulk packs up to 1,000. Supplied November to March.DeciduousMedium 20-40cm per yearBare RootRoot BalledPot GrownPrice From £1.15View sizes and prices

Hawthorn or Blackthorn?

Both are thorny native hedges, and they are often planted together. For a single-species garden or field hedge, Hawthorn is usually the easier framework.
CompareHawthorn HedgeBlackthorn Hedging
Spring flowersWhite blossom after the leaves open, usually MayWhite blossom on bare stems, earlier in spring
Autumn fruitRed hawsBlue-black sloes
SpreadStays in the hedge lineSuckers into neighbouring ground
As a garden hedgeEasy to keep dense and tidyBetter in wide, informal or defensive hedges
Best fitGarden boundaries and field hedgesWildlife thickets and mixed native hedges
View Hawthorn HedgeView Blackthorn Hedging
Gwynne Bodsworth, founder and grower at Hedging Plants Direct
Expert nursery advice

Gwynne's Grower's Tip

For a long Hawthorn hedge I would almost always plant bare-root whips. They are a fraction of the price of larger plants, they establish quickly and, once they have been cut back and trimmed for a couple of seasons, they make a thicker base than a hedge started from tall plants.

The thing that lets most new Hawthorn hedges down is not the plant but what happens around it. Keep a clear, weed-free strip along the row, guard against rabbits from day one and water through the first dry spring. If you want a wide countryside hedge or are planting to a grant specification, check the row spacing before you order, because it changes how many plants you need.

Gwynne BodsworthGrower, Hedging Plants Direct
Read the Hawthorn care guide →

Hawthorn sizes and plants per metre

Most Hawthorn hedges are planted from bare-root whips. They are the cheapest way to buy, easy to handle in quantity and establish well, and the price per plant falls as you buy larger packs of 50, 100, 250, 500 or 1,000.

  • 40–60cm bare root: 6 plants per metre
  • 60–120cm bare root: 5 plants per metre
  • 120–150cm bare root: 4 plants per metre
  • 40–90cm pot grown: 4 plants per metre
  • 90–120cm pot grown: 3 plants per metre

These figures are for a single-row garden hedge. A staggered double row makes a wider countryside-style hedge but does not simply mean doubling the quantity, and grant or agricultural schemes set their own density, so check the specification first. The calculator on the Hawthorn hedge page works out the quantity from your hedge length, and trade customers can ask us to quote for larger orders.

Helpful answers

Hawthorn hedging FAQs

01How many Hawthorn plants do I need per metre?

For a single-row hedge, plant 40–60cm bare-root whips at 6 per metre, 60–120cm bare-root plants at 5 per metre and 120–150cm plants at 4 per metre. Pot-grown Hawthorn goes in at 3–4 per metre depending on size. Use the figure shown against the exact size you order.

02When can I buy bare-root Hawthorn?

Bare-root Hawthorn is lifted while dormant and is normally supplied from November to March, depending on the weather. You can pre-order before the season starts. Outside those months, choose pot-grown Hawthorn.

03How fast does a Hawthorn hedge grow?

Once established, Hawthorn typically grows around 20–40cm a year. Young whips are usually cut back after planting so they branch from the base, which gives a denser hedge more quickly than leaving them to grow tall and thin.

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Helpful next steps

Growing Advice for Hawthorn Hedging

Browse all Q&A
Hawthorn hedging plantsCare GuideHawthorn Hedge Care GuidePlanting, spacing, watering and pruning advice for hawthorn hedging.Read care guide Mixed Native HedgingCare GuideNative Hedge Plants UKCompare native hedge plants for UK gardens and find the right species or prepared mixture for wildlife, screening, clay soil, shade and rural boundaries.Read care guide Mixed Native Hedging with post and rail fenceCare GuideBare Root Hedging Cost per MetreHedging guide · Prices checked 18 October 2026 Bare root hedging is the cheapest way to plant a hedge, and it is only available while the plants are…Read care guide
Hawthorn vs blackthornQ&AHawthorn vs Blackthorn: What's the Difference?Hawthorn and Blackthorn are both thorny native deciduous hedging plants, but they are not interchangeable. Their flowering sequence, fruit, growth habit and tendency to spread can make one…Read answer Hawthorn in winterQ&AWhat Does a Hawthorn Hedge Look Like in Winter?Hawthorn changes noticeably as autumn turns to winter because it is a deciduous hedge. Understanding its normal winter appearance helps when deciding how much seasonal screening you need…Read answer Hawthorn in winterQ&AAre Hawthorn Berries Poisonous to Dogs?Dogs sometimes pick up fallen haws while walking beside hedges or exploring the garden. The fruit is not usually treated as a major poisoning risk, but there are…Read answer Hawthorn in winterQ&ACan You Eat Hawthorn Berries?The red fruits on Common Hawthorn are known as haws and have a long history of use in hedgerow recipes. The important distinction is between the edible flesh…Read answer Hawthorn hedging in potsQ&ACan Hawthorn Be Grown in a Pot?Common Hawthorn can be kept in a container, but it is naturally a vigorous shrub or small tree rather than a compact patio plant. Long-term success depends on…Read answer Mixed native hedge beside an informal country garden in the UKQ&AWhich Native Hedging Suits an Informal Country Garden?An informal country garden suits hedging with varied foliage, flowers, berries and a softer outline than a tightly clipped formal boundary. The right combination depends on the available…Read answer

Why Choose Hawthorn Hedging?

Common Hawthorn is particularly well suited to customers looking for a traditional, thorny hedge with strong seasonal interest. It can be clipped into a relatively neat garden boundary or allowed to develop into a broader, more natural-looking hedgerow.

Spring brings fresh green foliage and clusters of white blossom, followed by red haws later in the season. The flowers, fruit and dense branch structure also make Hawthorn valuable within wildlife gardens and countryside planting.

The thorny stems create a useful physical boundary once the hedge has matured. Hawthorn is deciduous rather than evergreen, so customers needing dependable green foliage throughout winter should compare it with our evergreen hedging plants.

For a more varied native boundary containing several complementary species, see our Native Mixed Hedge Plants range.

Choosing Hawthorn Hedge Plants

Our current Common Hawthorn range includes different sizes and root formats, allowing the starting size and planting method to be matched to the project.

Bare Root Hawthorn Hedging

Buy bare root hedging plants when planting a longer hedge economically during the dormant season. Smaller Hawthorn whips are easy to handle in quantity and are particularly useful for garden boundaries, field edges and larger landscape schemes.

Pot Grown Hawthorn Hedging

Pot grown hedging plants provide greater flexibility because they can be planted outside the traditional bare-root season when ground and weather conditions are suitable. They are useful for smaller projects, replacement plants and customers who need to plant at a particular time of year.

Root Balled Hawthorn

Larger root ball hedging plants can provide more immediate height and structure. Larger plants require more careful handling and particularly close attention to watering while their roots establish.

Always use the information shown against the exact Hawthorn Hedge size you are ordering for current availability and planting density.

Where Does a Hawthorn Hedge Work Best?

Hawthorn is a useful choice for domestic gardens, rural properties, field boundaries, wildlife planting and landscaping schemes. Its natural appearance works particularly well in traditional and countryside settings, although regular clipping can produce a much neater garden hedge.

It is also suitable for exposed positions and a broad range of ordinary garden soils where drainage is adequate. Allow enough room beside paths and frequently used areas to keep thorny side growth under control.

For customers whose main priority is wildlife diversity rather than a single-species hedge, our native mixed hedging combines Hawthorn with other complementary native plants.

Planting a New Hawthorn Hedge

Good establishment starts with preparing the complete planting line rather than concentrating only on the individual planting holes.

Remove grass and perennial weeds, relieve serious compaction and investigate any areas that remain waterlogged. Where the existing soil would benefit from additional organic matter, mix Hedge Planting Compost with the excavated soil rather than replacing the surrounding soil completely.

Use Rootgrow mycorrhizal fungi at planting, following the product instructions and ensuring it comes into direct contact with the roots. Rootgrow, Hedge Feed and other establishment products can be found in our Plant Feed and Fertiliser range.

Water every plant thoroughly after planting and keep the root zone reliably moist while the hedge establishes. On longer hedge lines, a hedge irrigation system can make consistent watering considerably easier.

For exact planting distances, planting depth and instructions for each root type, use our complete Hawthorn Hedging Care Guide.

Protect Young Hawthorn from Rabbits

Young Hawthorn can be damaged by rabbits and other browsing animals before the hedge has established. Where browsing is likely, install appropriate rabbit guards and supports when the hedge is planted rather than waiting for damage to appear.

Browse our Plant Protection range for guards, canes and other establishment protection.

Feeding Hawthorn After Planting

Do not rely on fertiliser as a substitute for good soil preparation and watering. Once the hedge is planted and establishing, a balanced Hedge Feed can be applied when appropriate, following the product instructions.

For young Hawthorn, reliable moisture, weed control and healthy root establishment are more important than encouraging excessive early top growth.

Hawthorn for Wildlife and Native Hedgerows

Hawthorn is one of the characteristic plants of traditional British hedgerows. Its spring flowers provide a food source for insects, while the red haws are eaten by birds. Dense, thorny branches provide additional shelter and nesting structure as the hedge matures.

If wildlife value is a major priority, consider allowing some sections to flower and fruit rather than clipping every new shoot immediately after flowering.

For greater species diversity, compare Hawthorn with our Native Mixed Hedge Plants, including mixes intended for garden, field and wildlife planting.

Is Hawthorn Evergreen?

No. Common Hawthorn is a deciduous hedge and normally loses its leaves during autumn and winter.

Its dense framework of thorny branches continues to define the boundary and provides some screening when the leaves have fallen, but Hawthorn should not be sold as an evergreen or reliably semi-evergreen hedge.

If year-round green foliage is essential, browse our evergreen hedging plants instead.

Buying Hawthorn Hedge Plants Direct from Our Nursery

Hedging Plants Direct is an established family-run nursery business supplying retail, trade and commercial customers across the UK.

Whether you are planting a short garden boundary, a long rural hedge or a larger landscaping project, our Hawthorn Hedge page shows the current sizes, root types, prices and availability.

For detailed advice after choosing your plants, use the Hawthorn Hedging Care Guide for spacing, planting, watering, feeding, pruning and troubleshooting.