Hawthorn (Crataegus monogyna)

Hawthorn is a spiny shrub with red berries. It can form dense thickets that outcompete other plants.

This plant should not be sold in parts of NSW

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How does this weed affect you?

Hawthorn:

outcompetes native plants
competes with pastures and reduces productivity
has sharp thorns that can injure people or animals
forms dense thickets that restrict movement for people and animals
harbours pest animals such as rabbits
can host pests of orchard plants including apples and cherries.

What does it look like?

Hawthorn is a dense, spiny, perennial shrub or small tree, usually 2–4 m tall. It is deciduous and loses its leaves in winter. Plants are slow growing but can live for over 100 years.

Leaves are:

usually 1–4 cm long and 1–4 cm wide
variable in shape, can be oval or diamond shaped
often lobed with 3–7 deep lobes
serrated on the edge, particularly towards the tips
on stalks 5–30 mm long
mostly hairless
alternate along the stem.

Flowers are:

white, cream or pink
8–15 mm in diameter with 5 petals, each 3–7 mm long
strongly scented
on short stalks
in dense clusters each containing 6-15 flowers
present mostly in spring and sometimes early summer.

Fruit are:

dark or bright red with yellow flesh
shiny and apple-shaped with one seed
8–12 mm in diameter.

Seeds are:

brown
oval, 5–7 mm in diameter
very hard.

Stems are:

reddish-brown, smooth and hairless when young
brown or grey when the plant matures
spiny with spines 5-25 mm long
covered with rough bark towards the base of older plants.
woody and branching
extensive, deep and sucker if disturbed.

Roots are:

woody and branching
extensive, deep and sucker if disturbed.

Where is it found?

In NSW, most hawthorn infestations have been recorded in the Northern Tablelands and Central Tablelands regions. Naturalised plants have also been found in the Greater Sydney, North Coast, Riverina, Murray and South East regions.

It is native to Europe, northern Africa and west Asia. It was introduced to Australia as a hedge plant.

What type of environment does it grow in?

Hawthorn grows in temperate climates, usually in areas with more than 600 mm annual rainfall. Plants can tolerate a wide range of soil types, including shallow stoney soils. They do not tolerate water logged soils. Hawthorn grows in full sun and partial shade. It tolerates severe frosts, salty air and established plants can tolerate drought.

Hawthorn grows:

in pastures, especially degraded sites
in grasslands and woodlands
along waterways
on the edges of forests
in disturbed areas such as along roadsides and in old gardens.

Maps and records

Recorded presence of Hawthorn during property inspections (Map: Biosecurity Information System - Weeds, 2017-2026)
These records are made by authorised officers during property inspections under the Biosecurity Act 2015. Officers record the presence of priority weeds in their council area and provide this to the NSW Department of Primary Industries. Records reflect the presence of the weed on the date of inspection.

How does it spread?

Hawthorn was brought into NSW as a hedge plant.

By seed

Plants can set seed in their second year after germination. Mature plants can produce up to 8000 seeds per year. Seeds are spread:

mostly by birds (seed are more viable after passing thought their digestive system)
by foxes and possums
by people dumping garden waste
in agricultural produce
via mud stuck to vehicles and machinery.

References

Bass, D. A., Crossman, N. D., Lawrie, S. L., & Lethbridge, M. R. (2006). The importance of population growth, seed dispersal and habitat suitability in determining plant invasiveness. Euphytica, 148(1-2), 97-109.

Identic Pty Ltd. and Lucid (2016). Environmental Weeds of Australia Fact sheet: Crataegus monogyna. Retrieved 20 March 2026 from: https://keyserver.lucidcentral.org/weeds/data/media/Html/crataegus_monogyna.htm

Muyt, A. (2001). Bush invaders of South-East Australia: a guide to the identification and control of environmental weeds found in South-East Australia. RG and FJ Richardson.

Parsons, W.T., & Cuthbertson, E.G. (2001). Noxious weeds of Australia, 2nd edition. CSIRO Publishing, Collingwood.

PlantNET (The NSW Plant Information Network System). Royal Botanic Gardens and Domain Trust, Sydney. Retrieved 20 March 2026 from: https://plantnet.rbgsyd.nsw.gov.au/cgi-bin/NSWfl.pl?page=nswfl&lvl=sp&name=Crataegus~monogyna

Sallabanks, R. (1992). Fruit fate, frugivory, and fruit characteristics: a study of the hawthorn, Crataegus monogyna (Rosaceae). Oecologia, 91(2), 296-304.

More information

PlantNET NSW FloraOnline, Crataegus monogyna. Royal Botanical Gardens and Domain Trust.

Control

If possible, remove hawthorn plants before they start seeding at two years old. Check and control seedlings in autumn.

Prevention

Avoid taking vehicles or machinery through areas infested with hawthorns. If this cannot be avoided, clean down vehicles and machinery before moving to an uninfested area.

Physical removal

By hand

Dig up seedlings and small plants, remove as much of the crown and roots as possible.

By Machinery

Large thickets can be removed by machinery. Remove all of the crowns and as much of the roots as possible. Control regrowth and new seedlings.

Chemical control

Spraying

Check the labels for the best time to spray as timing varies between herbicide types. Rates also may vary for different plant heights.

Herbicide options

WARNING - ALWAYS READ THE LABEL
Users of agricultural or veterinary chemical products must always read the label and any permit, before using the product, and strictly comply with the directions on the label and the conditions of any permit. Users are not absolved from compliance with the directions on the label or the conditions of the permit by reason of any statement made or not made in this information. To view permits or product labels go to the Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority website www.apvma.gov.au

See Using herbicides for more information.

PERMIT 9907 Expires 31/03/2030
Glyphosate 360 g/L (Various products)
Rate: 100 mL per 10 L of water
Comments: Spot spray.
Withholding period: Nil.
Herbicide group: 9 (previously group M), Inhibition of 5-enolpyruvyl shikimate-3 phosphate synthase (EPSP inhibition)
Resistance risk: Moderate

Glyphosate 360 g/L (Various products)
Rate: 10 to 13 mL per litre of water
Comments: Spray all foliage of actively growing plants from flowering to leaf fall. Use the higher rate on bushes over 2 m tall. For domestic (home gardens), commercial, Industrial and public service areas, agricultural buildings and other farm situations.
Withholding period: Nil.
Herbicide group: 9 (previously group M), Inhibition of 5-enolpyruvyl shikimate-3 phosphate synthase (EPSP inhibition)
Resistance risk: Moderate

Glyphosate 360 g/L (Various products)
Rate: 1 part product to 9 parts water
Comments: Splatter gun or gas gun low volume spraying.
Withholding period: Nil.
Herbicide group: 9 (previously group M), Inhibition of 5-enolpyruvyl shikimate-3 phosphate synthase (EPSP inhibition)
Resistance risk: Moderate

Metsulfuron-methyl 300 g/kg + Aminopyralid 375 g/kg (Various products)
Rate: 20 g per 100 L of water plus always add a Wetter 100 mL/100L (Titan Wetter 1000 or BS1000 or equivalent).
Comments: Spray to thoroughly wet all foliage but not cause run-off.
Withholding period: Pastures - Grazing for meat production or cutting for animal feed: Do not graze for 56 days after application. See label for further details
Herbicide group: 2 (previously group B), Inhibition of acetolactate and/or acetohydroxyacid synthase (ALS, AHAS inhibitors) + 4 (previously group I), Disruptors of plant cell growth (Auxin mimics)
Resistance risk: High/Moderate

Metsulfuron-methyl 600 g/kg (Various products)
Rate: 10 g per 100 L of water. Add a non-ionic surfactant 100 mL per 100 L.
Comments: Spray actively growing bushes using a handgun. Thoroughly wet all foliage but not to cause run-off.
Withholding period: Nil (recommended not to graze for 7 days before treatment and for 7 days after treatment to allow adequate chemical uptake in target weeds).
Herbicide group: 2 (previously group B), Inhibition of acetolactate and/or acetohydroxyacid synthase (ALS, AHAS inhibitors)
Resistance risk: High

Metsulfuron-methyl 600 g/kg with Glyphosate 360 g/L (Various products)
Rate: 10 g metsulfuron-methyl + 200 mL of Glyphosate 360 per 100 L of water. Add a non-ionic surfactant 100 mL per 100 L.
Comments: Spray to point of run off using a handgun or knapsack.
Withholding period: Nil (recommended not to graze for 7 days before treatment and for 7 days after treatment to allow adequate chemical uptake in target weeds).
Herbicide group: 2 (previously group B), Inhibition of acetolactate and/or acetohydroxyacid synthase (ALS, AHAS inhibitors)
Resistance risk: High

Picloram 100 g/L + Triclopyr 300 g/L + Aminopyralid 8 g/L (Grazon® Extra)
Rate: 500 mL per 100 L of water
Comments: Spray plants up to 2 m tall from late spring to early autumn.
Withholding period: Where product is used to control woody weeds in pastures there is a restriction of 12 weeks for use of treated pastures for making hay and silage; using hay or other plant material for compost, mulch or mushroom substrate; or using animal waste from animals grazing on treated pastures for compost, mulching, or spreading on pasture/crops.
Herbicide group: 4 (previously group I), Disruptors of plant cell growth (Auxin mimics)
Resistance risk: Moderate

Triclopyr 300 g/L + Picloram 100 g/L (Various products)
Rate: 500 mL per 100 L of water
Comments: Late spring to early autumn application
Withholding period: Nil.
Herbicide group: 4 (previously group I), Disruptors of plant cell growth (Auxin mimics)
Resistance risk: Moderate

Biosecurity duty

The content provided here is for information purposes only and is taken from the NSW Biosecurity Act 2015 and its subordinate legislation, and the Regional Strategic Weed Management Plans (published by each Local Land Services region in NSW). It describes the state and regional priorities for weeds in New South Wales, Australia.

Area	Duty
All of NSW	General Biosecurity Duty All pest plants are regulated with a general biosecurity duty to prevent, eliminate or minimise any biosecurity risk they may pose. Any person who deals with any plant, who knows (or ought to know) of any biosecurity risk, has a duty to ensure the risk is prevented, eliminated or minimised, so far as is reasonably practicable.
North West	Regional Recommended Measure * (for Regional Priority - Asset Protection) Land managers should mitigate the risk of the plant being introduced to their land. Land managers should mitigate spread of the plant from their land. A person should not buy, sell, move, carry or release the plant into the environment. Land managers should reduce the impact of the plant on assets of high economic, environmental and/or social value.
	*To see the Regional Strategic Weeds Management Plans containing demonstrated outcomes that fulfil the general biosecurity duty for this weed click here

For technical advice and assistance with identification please contact your local council weeds officer.

Reviewed 2026