Hawthorns: Trees of Lore
by Melissa Rivelis,
Brockport Tree Board member
At long last, spring is here! With so many flowers in bloom, you may find yourself tempted to pluck a few while on a walk through your neighborhood. Imagine you reach for the blooms from lower branches and grab pear, crabapple, and serviceberry flowers without any issue.
But as you reach for another fistful of petals from a small tree, you are met with a sharp prick instead. That’s what happens when you get greedy with a Hawthorn.
Hawthorns are small trees with flowers that resemble cherry blossoms, fruits that look like small
crabapples, and thorns that will make you go “OUCH!” A long line of them grace South Avenue extension, including 14 freshly planted during the Village of Brockport’s Arbor Day.
Clumsy creatures like humans might not be fond of the spiky branches, but birds looking to make their nests enjoy the protection they provide. With spring, hawthorn trees bloom and unfurl their leaves, drawing in many different insects for the birds to eat. As the seasons change from summer to fall, the hawthorn’s fruits begin to ripen. They cling to these fruits all throughout fall and winter, providing both food for animals and color for admirers.
There are several hundreds of hawthorn species native to temperate regions of Asia, North America, Europe, and North Africa. Within these native ranges is a long history of usage and lore. First Nations people made use of many parts of the tree. They used the leaves, fruit, and flowers for food and medicine, and modified the thorns into fishhooks and needles. In Irish folklore, hawthorn trees were said to be inhabited and protected by fairies, and some even believe they were used as an entrance to the fairy realm. Between the sharp thorns and folklore, it is seen as bad luck to harm hawthorn trees. Be respectful when admiring their blooms this spring, or you may find yourself at the mercy of some angry fairies.
The Village of Brockport celebrated Arbor Day 2024 by planting 14 trees on the tree lawn on South Avenue with the assistance of over 20 volunteers, including Village of Brockport Tree Board members, BCSD students, SUNY Brockport staff, and other community members at large. The Village is grateful for its Brockport DPW crew members and continued partnership with SUNY Brockport Facilities staff for demonstrating tree planting best practices, and assistance with planting site preparation. On Arbor Day, Brockport also learned it had received a $10,632 DEC Urban Forestry grant award, the only municipality in the Finger Lakes Region to receive an award this round. The grant is specifically for tree planting and maintenance projects that provide critical support for urban forest managers to sustain and expand green infrastructure. The forestry grants complement DEC’s ongoing initiatives to address invasive species, climate change, environmental degradation, environmental justice, and urban sprawl. As a proud Tree City USA community with a dedicated Tree Board, Brockport remains committed to urban forestry and a healthy future for all its residents.
Provided photos.
