Hawthorn 'Paul's Scarlet'

Synonyms: Rosea Flore Pleno, Coccinea Plena, Kermesiana Plena, Paul’s Scarlet English Hawthorn, Hawthorn 'Paul's Scarlet',

The common hawthorn Pauls Scarlet (lat. Crataegus laevigata Pauls Scarlet) – one of the most popular cultivars of the common hawthorn. It was discovered in the 1850s in a Herefordshire garden. In 1858 it received a first-class certificate and the Award of Garden Merit in 2002.

It is a beautifully flowering shrub, growing to 7-10 m in height and 3-5 m in width. Growth rate is medium, reaching 15-25 cm per year. At 10 years it grows to 4-5 m. Lifespan 50-150 years.

Root system broad, deeply penetrating, sensitive to soil compaction and road surfacing. Not sensitive to covering with porous material.

Crown spreading, asymmetrical, branches slightly drooping. Young shoots are hairy, reddish-brown, later becoming ashy-red, and with thorns up to 1.8 cm long.

Leaves large, emerge early and fall early, dark green in color.

Flowers in May-June. Flowers large, double, gathered in large umbels of carmine color.

Fruits are rare in this cultivar. Fruiting occurs from August to September. Fruits are globose, apple-shaped or ovoid, red-brown, slightly silvery, up to 12 mm long, with sharply-angled grooves.

Hardiness zone: 5b. In severe winters the flower buds and shoots may freeze.

Location: Prefers sunny spots; in shade it flowers and fruits less well. Optimal soil acidity – pH 7.5-8.0.

Planting: soil mixture: humus, topsoil (sod soil), sand and peat in the ratio 2:2:1:1. When planting it is recommended to add 30-40 g of lime and 50 g of phosphorite meal. At the bottom of the planting hole it is recommended to place a drainage layer 10 cm thick and cover it with a 7-10 cm layer of sand. After planting the soil can be mulched with peat in a layer of 5-7 cm.

Care: In early spring, for abundant flowering, fertilization with Kemira-Universal or nitroammophoska is recommended. Before flowering you can also fertilize with diluted manure slurry at a ratio of 1:10, applying 8 L per mature plant. Requires watering – once a month with 1-1.5 buckets per mature plant; in dry periods it is recommended to double the watering. Young plants require more frequent watering, especially in dry periods. In spring or autumn it is recommended to dig the root circles to a spade's depth. Loosening is carried out no deeper than 10 cm. In cold winters during the first 2-3 years standard forms need to be wrapped with burlap in 2-3 layers; frost hardiness increases with age.

Pruning: tolerates clipping and shaping very well. Has a high ability to produce shoots.

Diseases: powdery mildew, ochre, gray, white and brown leaf spots.

Pests: apple-like scale insect, acacia false scale, weevil, sawfly.

Propagation: propagated by seeds, root suckers and layers, grafting.

Uses: tolerates pruning and shaping well. Can be formed into a ball, cube or pyramid. Used to create a showy flowering hedge. Fruits are edible. Used in solitary and group plantings.