Family: Malaceae (apples etc)

Status:

Description:
A deciduous large shrub or small tree to 10 m. Bark is smooth and grey. Branches terminate in long thorns. Leaves are variable in shape, 3 to 7 lobed. Large white or pinkish flowers, similar to apple blossom, occur in clusters. Fruits are red, fleshy, about 1 cm diameter, and also rather apple-like.

Preferred habitat and impacts:
Usually a weed of agricultural landscapes, where it was once used as a hedging plant. Often in open paddocks, or under trees in rural remnant bush.
Plants can become so thick that it reduces carrying capacity of pasture and makes stock mustering difficult. Displaces native species in remnant grassy vegetation in farming areas. Harbours pear and cherry slug, a pest of orchards. Encourages the build up of pest species of native fruit-eating birds such as currawongs, which prey on the nestlings of more desirable bird species.
The dense spiny growth habit of hawthorn does provide safe nesting places for small native birds, but there are native shrubs such as blackthorn which do this job just as well, in addition to providing better food resources for other native fauna.

Dispersal:
Birds and other animals. Seed dumped in garden waste. Root suckers can come up after the parent plant is removed.

Look-alikes:
No similar natives. Cotoneaster and pyracantha are weedy shrubs with similar flowers and red or orange fleshy fruits, but their leaves are not lobed.

Control:
Cut and paint or stem injection, or spray small plants. Seedlings can be hand-pulled.