Common Name(s): Oneseed hawthorn, common hawthorn
Scientific Name: Crataegus monogyna
Distribution: Europe, Northern Africa, and Western Asia
Tree Size: 20-40 ft (6-12 m) tall,
1-2 ft (.3-.6 m) trunk diameter
Average Dried Weight: 48.9 lbs/ft3 (785 kg/m3)
Specific Gravity (Basic, 12% MC): .66, .78
Janka Hardness: 1,860 lbf (8,250 N)*
*Estimated hardness based on specific gravity
Modulus of Rupture: No data available
Elastic Modulus: No data available
Crushing Strength: No data available
Shrinkage: Radial: ~5%, Tangential: ~9%,
Volumetric: ~14%, T/R Ratio: ~1.8
Color/Appearance: Sapwood is cream colored, with highly variable heartwood (in both width and color). Heartwood ranges from being just barely darker than the sapwood, to dark reddish brown.
Grain/Texture: Grain is straight, with a fine, uniform texture and good natural luster.
Rot Resistance: As most material is composed of sapwood, hawthorn should be considered perishable, with poor insect resistance.
Workability: Generally easy to work, but can be difficult to dry, with warpage and distortion common. However, the wood is somewhat more stable once dry.
Odor: No characteristic odor.
Allergies/Toxicity: Besides the standard health risks associated with any type of wood dust, no further health reactions have been associated with oneseed hawthorn. See the articles Wood Allergies and Toxicity and Wood Dust Safety for more information.
Pricing/Availability: Usually only a shrub or small tree, hawthorn is not a commercial timber. Small pieces can sometimes be found on a very limited, hobbyist scale.
Sustainability: This wood species is not listed in the CITES Appendices, and is reported by the IUCN as being a species of least concern.
Common Uses: Turned objects, carving, and other small specialty wood items.
Comments: Although hawthorn species tend to be rather small—usually not getting larger than a large shrub—the wood can be well suited for smaller projects. Its small pores and medium-high density give it a very fine and even texture not too unlike true boxwood (Buxus sempervirens).
Images: Drag the slider up/down to toggle between raw and finished wood. A special thanks to Bengt Randers for providing the wood sample and photo of this wood species.
Identification: See the article on Hardwood Anatomy for definitions of endgrain features.
Porosity: diffuse porous; however, growth rings are usually visible due to an absence of pores at annual boundaries
Arrangement: exclusively solitary
Vessels: small, very numerous
Parenchyma: no visible parenchyma at 10x magnification
Rays: narrow; close spacing
Lookalikes/Substitutes: Other European woods with similar density, color, and fine texture include rowan (Sorbus aucuparia), pear (Pyrus communis), and hornbeam (Carpinus betulus).
Notes: The Crataegus genus is somewhat convoluted and confused, with over a thousand synonyms or varieties that are no longer recognized as valid. Separating different species of hawthorn generally cannot be done reliably using wood anatomy alone.
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They are very interesting plants, we have a small variety here in BC, Canada. It typically only grows up to 20 feet rarely do they get much bigger. We often use the wood for building or we use it to smoke and cure our meats.