Hawthorn Bonsai Care [Crataegus]

Getting the right information is extremely important for every bonsai enthusiast who wants to take good care of their plant.

This article is all about the Hawthorn bonsai plant!

If you have this plant or you are just planning to get it and want to get some necessary knowledge, then this article is for you.

We have covered every single detail about the hawthorn bonsai plant be it its history, care, types, maintenance, etc. Let’s move on and start exploring one thing at a time.

Here are some interesting facts about the Hawthorn bonsai plant

Scientific name	Crataegus
Age of the plant	60 to 500 years
Height of the plant	at least 55 cm
Width of the plant	Around37 cm
Fertilization	Liquid fertilizer = every 1 or 2 weeks   Solid fertilizer = every 4 weeks
Flowering	White, red, and pink.
Fruiting	Small red berries.
Watering	More during the growing season
Temperature	More than 90℉ is dangerous
Origin of the plant	Temperate regions of Asia, Europe, North-East America
Soil requirements of the plant	Well-draining and neutral pH value.
Repotting of plant	Every 2 or 3 years

Can you bonsai hawthorn tree?

Are you thinking about whether you can convert a hawthorn tree into a bonsai?

The answer is yes! You can convert a hawthorn tree into a bonsai plant.

The hawthorn tree is a perfect choice for bonsai because it has all those characteristics that a good bonsai plant should have!

Hawthorn Bonsai Development

A hawthorn bonsai plant has beautiful small leaves and it grows white and pink flowers that are pleasant and relaxing for the eyes of the viewers. That’s not the end. A hawthorn bonsai plant grows red berries during the fruiting season.

This plant keeps getting more and more beautiful over time as its bark becomes nice with age.

How to bonsai a hawthorn tree?

Now the real question popping up in your mind would be that how do you make a hawthorn bonsai?

Well, it is a technical process that requires a lot of skill, patience, energy, and effort.

You have to start with choosing the right plant and then invest a lot of time training it into a bonsai plant. It will require your continuous attention, maintenance, and patience and only then you will be able to convert it into a bonsai plant.

Now it is up to you.
If you want to learn all the skills and processes then you can do that.

But if you don’t know much about it and have no interest in learning it then the right option is to get an already trained hawthorn bonsai from the market.

You will just have to regularly maintain this plant and that’s all. It will save you more time, energy, and also fulfill your desire to have a hawthorn bonsai plant.

Hawthorn bonsai history

If you are a big fan of the hawthorn bonsai plant, you must be curious to know about the history of this plant, right?

Well, the hawthorn bonsai plant originates from the temperate zones of Asia, Europe, and North-Eastern America. The reason why there is so much hype surrounding this plant is that it has all the characteristics of an excellent bonsai plant.

The small leaves, white and pink flowers, red berries, and beautiful bark make this plant an excellent option for all bonsai lovers.

If you will maintain this plant the right way then it can easily live for up to 500 years!

Hawthorn bonsai styles

The best thing about bonsai plants is that you can style them the way you want. It will take some skill, effort, and time, but you can customize the appearance of your plant by training it.

Styling a hawthorn bonsai tree is a technical job. It involves a combination of a lot of factors such as wiring, pruning, regular trimming, etc.

If you need ideas about hawthorn bonsai plants, then you can search it up on the internet and get an idea from thousands of different pictures of hawthorn bonsai styles.

Hawthorn bonsai care

“My plant has died”

This is the word we hear from most of the hawthorn bonsai owners a few days after they purchase this plant.

Why does that happen?

Well, people end up killing their plants because they do not know how to take care of a hawthorn bonsai.

We will help you take care of your hawthorn bonsai plant by covering every single aspect.

Keep reading and you will learn how to water, repot, fertilize, wire, maintain your plant, and a lot more than that!

Let’s start with the temperature.

Hawthorn bonsai temperature

The temperature under which you will keep your hawthorn bonsai plant will have a significant impact on its health.

If the temperature is less or more than what the plant prefers then the plant will stop growing and may eventually die.

The hawthorn bonsai plant is resistant to a wide range of temperatures. However, any temperature more than 90℉ can be dangerous for the hawthorn bonsai and stunt its growth.

Hawthorn bonsai fertilizer

Fertilization is very important for supplying the plant with essential nutrients required for its growth.

However, incorrect fertilization can harm your plant. For example:

If you will provide more or less than the needed amount of fertilizer to your plant, it will affect its health and growth.

Similarly, fertilizing the plant at the wrong time can also affect its health and growth.

If you are a hawthorn bonsai plant owner, the experts recommend that you should supply a liquid fertilizer to your plant every 1 or 2 weeks OR you should supply a solid fertilizer to your plant after every 4 weeks. This technique of fertilization helps with the good growth and health of the plant.

Wiring hawthorn bonsai

Styling of the hawthorn bonsai plants is done by wiring them. But before, you start wiring your plant, you should beware of all the dos and don’ts.

Well, wiring the hawthorn bonsai plant is easier because this plant has good flexibility.

However, you should be alert of the thorns as they can hurt you. You are advised to remove all the thorns before you start the important styling work.

You should do the majority of the styling in the dormant winter months. The reason is that the foliage is minimum at that time.

For wiring your shoots and branches, the growing season is the best for that.

Hawthorn bonsai repotting

Repotting the hawthorn is necessary for its health and growth. However, you need to have the right knowledge about it OR you may damage the plant.

When we talk about repotting, you need to consider 4 important factors. Time, season, soil, and pruning.

Experts suggest that you should be repotting your hawthorn bonsai plant after every 3 to 5 years only.

Here the season of repotting is also very important. Experts say that the best season to do repotting is early spring.

While repotting the plant, you can prune up to one-third of the roots of your hawthorn bonsai plant.

You are recommended to use well-draining soil that has a neutral pH value as it will keep your plant healthy.

Hawthorn bonsai pests and diseases

Pests and diseases are always present in nature. Just like we can get sick, your hawthorn bonsai plant can also get damaged due to an attack of pests and diseases.

You need to know the enemies of your plant and what steps you can take to counter them.

Powdery mildews, rust, gall mites, caterpillars, aphids, scales, vine weevil larvae, fire blight, and other fungal diseases are the biggest enemy of your plant.

They can attack your plant at any time. If you see your plant attacked by any of these, you can either use a specific pesticide to counter them OR you can take the services of a professional gardener.

This way you can save your plant.

Hawthorn bonsai soil

The soil you will use for your hawthorn bonsai plant will have a direct impact on its health and growth.

You should always use the right soil for your plant as it is extremely important.

So, what is the right kind of soil for a hawthorn bonsai plant?

Well, you are recommended to use well-draining soil that has a neutral pH value. Your plant will love this soil and show very good growth.

Hawthorn bonsai watering

Just like us humans, water is a matter of life and death for the plants as well.

You need to learn how to correctly water the hawthorn bonsai plant. Underwater or overwatering can be problematic for your bonsai plant.

How to water hawthorn bonsai?

Your hawthorn bonsai plant needs the right amount of water at the right time to survive. Otherwise, it will just stop growing and die one day.

This bonsai plant needs plenty of water during the growing season. Thus, you should never let its root dry out.

When it is winter, you should keep the roots of your plant slightly moist. This plant can tolerate a wide range of pH – however, you should never give it calcareous water as it is harmful to the health of the plant.

Hawthorn bonsai sunlight requirements

We humans eat food to survive. Similarly, plants also absorb sunlight from nature to prepare their food and survive on their own.

You need to provide an adequate amount of sunlight to your plant so it can stay healthy and keep growing nonstop.

The hawthorn bonsai plant can tolerate both full sun and partial shade. These plants can also tolerate freezing temperatures and cold winds.

However, you should protect your plant from intense frost and rain in winter as a precautionary measure to keep your plant safe and healthy.

Hawthorn bonsai progression

The progression of a hawthorn bonsai means how this plant keeps growing with time?

Hawthorn Bonsai Techniques Part 0ne

Well, many bonsai owners report that the hawthorn bonsai plant resembles a shrub during its growth. This plant takes years and years to develop a thick trunk.

It grows small leaves and during the flowering season, it grows white flowers in general and pink flowers in rare cases. In the case of fruiting, this plant grows cute little red berries.

The bark of the hawthorn bonsai plant keeps getting better and better with time.

Hawthorn bonsai winter care

We know that the weather conditions change completely in winter.

Some plants are sensitive to winter and need special care during that season.

So, what should you do with your hawthorn bonsai plant in winter?

How to take care of hawthorn in the winter?

The hawthorn bonsai plant can tolerate freezing temperatures and cold winds. These plants are very frost-hardy.

However, the bonsai plants grown in small containers should be saved from intense frost and rain in winter for safety purposes.

Types of hawthorn bonsai tree

We told you that the hawthorn bonsai plant is native to different temperate areas like Asia, Europe, North East America, etc. Therefore, several different types of this plant are found all over the world.

Let’s take a look at all the different types of Hawthorn bonsai plants.

Indian hawthorn bonsai

Rhaphiolepsis or Indian hawthorn bonsai is famous for its pink blooms all over the year. This plant has a textured trunk that keeps getting better with age.

Indian hawthorn bonsai are resilient to different kinds of environments.

Japanese hawthorn bonsai

The Japanese hawthorn bonsai plant is so popular because of its beautiful red flowers.

Washington hawthorn bonsai

This hawthorn bonsai plant grows straight like an arrow but it has wonderful leaves.

Paul’s scarlet hawthorn bonsai

This bonsai looks gorgeous in full bloom thanks to its colorful flowers that are relaxing and pleasant to the eyes of the viewers.

Parsley hawthorn bonsai

This tree looks like a shrub. It has alternate, open crowns, irregular, lacy, and deciduous leaves. Its bark is exfoliation and the tan is greenish.

How to revive a hawthorn bonsai tree?

Is your hawthorn bonsai tree degrading day by day and do you want to revive it?

Well, the first step for reviving a hawthorn bonsai plant is to find out the root cause of the problem.

Why is your plant dying? Is it a watering issue or light or fertilization or repotting problem?

Whatever is it, you need to take appropriate measures and fix the problem.

1. Insects & pest attack

Is your plant suffering from any pest or insect infestation?

If yes, then get rid of it to revive your plant.

2. Fertilization

Are you fertilizing your plant on time?

Are you using the right amount of fertilizer on your plant?

3. Give enough light

Is your plant getting the adequate amount of light it needs?

If no, then provide that to your plant.

4. Water it

Are you watering your plant on time?

Are you giving it the right amount of water OR you are overwatering or underwatering the plant?

If you have overwatered it then you can revive it by underwatering it for a specific time.

If you have underwatered it then you can revive it by supplying more water for some time.

How can I keep my hawthorn bonsai tree small?

Bonsai plants are meant to be small.

However, they can gradually grow larger if you do not maintain them.

If you want to keep your hawthorn bonsai tree small then you will have to perform regular trimming and pruning of this plant as per the given instructions. Remove any unnecessary growth that does not match the design of your plant.

That’s the only and best way to keep a hawthorn bonsai smaller.