Hawthorn can refer to the deciduous hawthorn tree (Crataegus spp.) or the hawthorn evergreen bushes (Rhaphiolepis spp.), but both belong to the Rosaceae family. The rate of growth varies by each species of hawthorn and certain growing conditions may also have an effect on the growth rate of these trees and shrubs. Growth rates are often listed as slow, 12 inches or less per year; medium, 12 to 24 inches per year; or fast, 25 inches or more per year.
Hawthorn bushes are well suited to areas where temperatures never, or rarely, dip below 0 degrees Fahrenheit. The shrubs bloom in late fall or mid-winter to late spring, depending on the variety. Hawthorn bushes are low-growing and the taller varieties usually do not grow taller than 6 feet. Growing hawthorn bushes in partial shade keeps them more compact, but they will bear fewer blooms compared to bushes grown in full sun. You can control the size of hawthorn bushes through proper pruning, maintaining a desired size indefinitely.
Hawthorn Bush Growth Rate
The growth rate for hawthorn bushes vary by bush. Yeddo hawthorn (Rhaphiolepis umbellata) is a fast-growing plant that can grow up to 10 feet tall and wide. The bush bears 3/4-inch-wide flowers and dark green leaves ranging from 1 to 3 inches long. It grows in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 8 through 10. Indian Hawthorn (Rhaphiolepis indica) is a slow-growing bush also hardy in USDA zones 8 to 11 that grows 4 to 5 feet tall and 5 to 6 feet wide with blooms of varying colors.
Hawthorn tree growth rates also vary by variety of tree and if the trees are given ideal growing conditions. The trees bear clusters of white flowers, usually in spring, and bear fruit that resembles tiny apples in summer, fall and sometimes in winter. The branches are thorny and the trees generally need pruning to thin them and remove excess twiggy growth. Hawthorn trees thrive in well-drained soil with regular moisture in full sun.
Hawthorn Tree Growth
Washington hawthorn (Crataegus phaenopyrum) grows at a medium growth rate, up to 30 feet tall with a 25-foot spread. The tree bears small red fruit through winter and the foliage changes from green to a scarlet or orange in the fall. Washington hawthorn is hardy in USDA zones 4 through 8. Downy hawthorn (Crataegus mollis) is a slow-growing tree that is hardy down to USDA zone 3. The tree grows up to 30 feet tall and 35 feet wide with down-covered, 4-inch toothed leaves and 1-inch red fruits. The leaves change to a bronze color in the fall.
- The New Sunset Western Garden Book; Kathleen Norris Brenzel, Editor
- University of Arkansas Horticulture: Rhaphiolepis Umbellata
- University of Florida IFAS Extension: Indian Hawthorn
- Arbor Day Foundation: About Growth Rate
- Arbor Day Foundation: Hawthorn, Washington
- University of Connecticut Horticulture: Crataegus Mollis