Hawthorn

Commonly called Hawthorn or Thornapple, is a large genus of shrubs and trees in the rose family, Rosaceae, native to temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere in Europe, Asia and North America. They are shrubs or small trees, mostly growing to 5–15 m tall, with small pome fruit and (usually) thorny branches. The most common type of bark is smooth grey in young individuals, developing shallow longitudinal fissures with narrow ridges in older trees. Hawthorns provide food and shelter for many species of birds and mammals, and the flowers are important for many nectar-feeding insects.