SafePlants

Hawthorns and the Hawthorn Slender Moth

This page provides information about various Hawthorn species (Crataegus) and the Hawthorn Slender moth (Parornix anglicella), a micro-moth associated with these trees.

Considerations for Pets

• Some hawthorn varieties are "heavily armed with long, slender thorns."

Considerations for Children

• Some hawthorn varieties are "heavily armed with long, slender thorns."

Parornix anglicella (Hawthorn Slender)

• Common Name: Hawthorn Slender
• Scientific Name: Parornix anglicella
• Authority: (Stainton, 1850)
• Family: Gracillariidae (Styltmalar)
• Order: Lepidoptera (Moths and butterflies)
• Wingspan: 7-11 mm
• Flight Period: April, May, June, July, August

Taxonomy and Nomenclature (Parornix anglicella)

• Kingdom: Animalia (Animals)
• Phylum: Arthropoda (Articulate animals)
• Class: Insecta (Insects)
• Order: Lepidoptera (Moths and butterflies)
• Preferred Name Authority: (Stainton, 1850)

Ecology and Behavior (Parornix anglicella)

• The larvae create slender, broken, linear frass patterns following the rib or leaf margin of hawthorn leaves, often reversing direction and sometimes going down the petiole.
• Larvae cause the leaf tip to roll, containing dispersed frass, or create smaller leaf folds on hawthorn leaves.
• National Status: Common, a resident species.

Hawthorns (Crataegus)

• Hawthorn trees are deciduous shrubs or small trees.
• The bark is brown-grey, knotted, and fissured. Twigs are slender and brown.
• Many varieties have thorns (1-5 inches long on some species), including long slender thorns.
• Fruits are called haws or thorn-apples and may persist until late fall.
• They are in the rose family (Rosaceae).
• Hybridization can occur between different hawthorn species.

Specific Hawthorn Species Mentioned:

• Crataegus exilis (Slender Hawthorn)
• Crataegus crus-galli (Cockspur Hawthorn) - noted for extremely long, slender thorns.
• Crataegus kennedyi (Kennedy's Hawthorn)
• Crataegus schizophylla
• Crataegus columbiana (Columbian or Red Hawthorn)
• Crataegus marshallii (Parsley-leaf Hawthorn) - has wide-spreading, slender branches.
• Crataegus austromontana

Growth Habits

• The Washington Hawthorn (Crataegus) starts as a slender young tree but broadens with age, reaching about 25 feet tall with a 20 feet spread.
• Parsley-leaf Hawthorn (Crataegus marshallii) is a small tree with wide-spreading, slender branches.

Distribution and Habitat

• Hawthorns are commonly found in hedgerows.
• Crataegus columbiana (Columbian or Red Hawthorn) grows along water courses.

Quirky Facts

• Vintage "Hawthorn Mellody" wax cottage cheese containers are collectible items.

Resources

• Norfolk Moth Survey
• Discover Life
• Checklist of Lepidoptera Recorded from the British Isles (Second Edition Bradley, 2000)