The secret is out, Paul's Scarlet Hawthorn is this year's darling. Otherwise known as Crataegus laevigata 'Pauls Scarlet', our new favorite tree delivers rosy blooms and seasonally adorable ornamental fruit. Dark pink blossoms resembling tiny roses burst in a dazzling display throughout the spring.
Paul's Scarlet Hawthorn is the showiest hawthorn, and it's hard not to fall in love. Miniature rose clusters delicately perch on branches like nature's jewels. Cherry red fruits are soon to follow, persisting into the winter season, even after leaves have long flown the coop.
Miniature is the Perfect Size
With a spread of 15-20 feet and topping out in height at 25 feet, Pauls Scarlet Hawthorn is well suited to livening up the party as a wall of color in the backyard or brightening up the front as a single accent. Miniature flowers are fragrant, and the overall small size allows for easy maintenance.
Minimal pruning requirements are easy to perform on their low, dense branches, making this reliable talking piece a breeze to maintain. Leaves are quick to drop in the fall, especially in areas with cooler temperatures. Like a curtain dropping to reveal the star of the show, lobed and glossy leaves make way for festive, deep red fruits.
Adaptable and Easy
This tree is tolerant of a wide range of soil and climate conditions, so there is really no excuse not to squeeze in at least one Paul's Scarlet Hawthorn. While well-drained soils are best, and this highly adaptable tree thrives in humid conditions as well as semi-arid areas.
Plant Paul's Scarlet Hawthorn at any time of the year, and prune any time after flowering in the summer or autumn to maintain the desired shape. Both sunny and partial shade conditions allow for vigorous growth, with most exciting developments occurring in the spring and autumn. Achieve true curbside appeal by trimming lower branches to heighten canopy-starting point and allow for traffic underneath.
A Jewel in the Rough
Shiny green foliage provides the perfect backdrop for cute and plentiful miniature roses. A deer-resistant trunk brings these adorable delights up to eye level while allowing for bird-friendly visitation. As a close relative to more commonly known roses, some trees have thorns, so keep this in mind when selecting the tree that best fits its function.
Some disease susceptibility in certain climates may cause leaves to drop earlier than unaffected trees, but caretakers can easily prune back affected branches. Dense hedgerows of Pauls Scarlet Hawthorn are common in the UK, so prune to fit any border for a more European feel. However, these trees do mature in a more rounded form, so keeping an attractive shape is still easy when pruning efforts fall by the wayside.
Brighten up any space, small or large, with the rosy Paul's Scarlet Hawthorn. With stress-free maintenance and doubled flowers that guests will coo over, its an easy pick for this year.
