Red Flowering Hawthorn

Red Flowering Hawthorn (Crataegus laevigata 'Paul's Scarlet') carries a heavy crop of double scarlet flowers in spring on a small rounded deciduous tree that settles at about 5m tall and 4m wide. It is among the hardiest ornamental trees we sell, taking frost, wind, salt air and poor soil without complaint. The branches are thorny, which makes it a serious barrier hedge but a poor choice beside a path.

Why you'll love it

• Double scarlet flowers in spring. 'Paul's Scarlet' carries fully double blooms in red and deep pink, a far heavier display than a plain hawthorn.
• A real tree for a small garden. At 5m by 4m it gives proper canopy and shape without taking over a suburban block.
• Very hard to kill. Frost hardy, wind tolerant, drought tolerant once established, content in poor soil and salt tolerant enough for coastal gardens.
• Birds and bees both use it. Spring flowers feed pollinators, and the small fruit that follows brings birds in.

Where it works best

Feature planting. A single tree in a lawn or front garden reads as a spring set piece, and stays in scale with a modest house rather than dwarfing it.

Hedging and boundary planting. Plant 2m apart for a dense hedge. The thorns make it genuinely difficult to push through, which is the point on a boundary line.

Driveways and avenues. Spaced 4m to 5m apart it lines a drive with matched crowns. Keep the row back from where car doors open.

Growing Red Flowering Hawthorn in Australia

Position and climate. Full sun gives the heaviest flowering. This is a tree for cool temperate, warm temperate and Mediterranean gardens, and it needs a proper winter chill to flower well, so it is not a choice for tropical or subtropical districts.

Soil. Undemanding to the point of being useful. It grows in clay, sand and thin poor ground, and copes with exposure that would scorch most flowering trees. Only ground that stays waterlogged will trouble it.

Water and feed. Deep soak weekly through the first two summers, then it largely looks after itself. A complete slow release fertiliser in early spring is enough, with 75mm of mulch kept clear of the trunk.

Pruning. Prune in late winter while the tree is bare and the thorns are easiest to see. Remove crossing branches to open the crown, or trim twice a year if you are holding it as a hedge.

What to expect when it arrives

We supply this hawthorn in two advanced sizes, 45L and 100L. Both arrive as established young trees with a formed leader and branching, so you are buying height and shape on day one. If it lands in winter it will be leafless, which is normal for a deciduous tree.

Expect the first full display in its second spring, and roughly 30cm to 50cm of growth a year once the roots are away. Trees are delivered Australia wide, with delivery from $29.95. Advanced and large stock is freighted at cost, and every tree carries our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.

Plant care guides and related reading

• Compare the full flowering tree range
• Small trees for urban gardens
• Choosing trees to line a driveway
• Browse deciduous trees

Common questions

How bad are the thorns?

Sharp enough to draw blood and long enough to catch clothing, so wear gloves when pruning. Plant it clear of paths and anywhere children play, then use that same quality deliberately on a boundary hedge.

How far apart should I plant it for a hedge?

Two metres apart in a single row. At that spacing the crowns meet within three to four seasons and the thorny growth interlocks into a barrier.

Will it flower in a warm subtropical garden?

Not reliably. It needs winter cold to set a good crop of buds, so flowering thins badly in warm humid districts. Cool temperate and Mediterranean gardens get the display this tree is grown for.