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Hawthorn Cockspur is the leader among other varieties in terms of thorn size. The plant gets its name from its long, curved, sharp shoots. Therefore, when forming a hedge, it has no equal. However, this is not the only reason why this variety is valuable. Cock's spur is an unpretentious and durable type of hawthorn.
History of selection
The natural habitat of the hawthorn variety Cock's Spur is considered to be the southern territory of Canada and the American states: North Carolina, Kansas. The plant can be found on forest edges, river banks, mountain slopes, and valleys. In 1656, the Cock's Spur hawthorn began to be cultivated in Russia and Western Europe. It grows successfully in the Baltic states, Ukraine, Lipetsk and Voronezh regions; in colder regions, cases of freezing occur. In Central Asia, it requires additional watering.
Description of hawthorn Cock's spur
Hawthorn Cockspur is a small tree, up to 12 m in height. Most often found in the form of a large shrub. The crown is densely branched, spherical, low-set, almost flat. The branches grow horizontally, bare, zigzag. The color of the shoots is reddish-brown with a shiny tint. The trunk diameter is 20-30 cm. The bark is ash-gray with a brown tint. The structure is lamellar.
The Cockspur hawthorn has numerous thorns 3-10 cm long. On older branches the spines are branched, growing up to 20 cm.
The foliage is ovoid or oval in shape, with 3 or 4 pairs of lobes. The leaf size is 4-10 cm long and up to 3 cm wide. The base is cut, broadly wedge-shaped. The apex is pointed. The leaves are initially strongly drooping, gradually becoming bare. Over time, pubescence remains only on the veins. The edges of the foliage have a jagged edge. In summer, the leaves are leathery, dark green with a glossy sheen. During the autumn season they are colored red or orange. Petiole 1-2 cm long.
The hawthorn variety Cock's Spur blooms in large inflorescences of 12-15 flowers. They have no pubescence. The size of the corolla in diameter is 1.5 cm. The sepals are red, triangular-lanceolate in shape. When the fetus is bent downwards. There are 10 stamens.
The fruits of the hawthorn variety Cock's Spur are spherical, greenish-brown, and at the moment of ripening they acquire a pale red color with a slight bluish bloom. The pulp is somewhat dry, dense, and orange in color. Ripe fruits have a tart, astringent taste. They remain on the tree throughout the cold season.
Characteristics of the variety
Hawthorn Cockspur has a number of different decorative forms:
- dwarf - almost prostrate bush;
- narrow-leaved - with graceful linear-lanceolate leaves;
- thornless — shoots are devoid of thorns;
- large-fruited - with brightly colored fruits up to 2.5 cm in diameter.
Drought and frost resistance
Hawthorn Cock's Spur has been shown to be relatively winter hardy. Frost resistance zone “5a”. In cold areas, winter shelter is required. Meanwhile, the plant tolerates urban conditions and air pollution well. The variety is wind-resistant. Hawthorn Cockspur is drought-resistant and does not require additional watering.
Productivity and fruiting
The flowering period of the hawthorn variety Rooster Spur begins in June. The fruiting period begins in September-October. Ripe berries have a rich, persistent aroma. Suitable for human consumption. From the fruits of the Cock's Spur hawthorn, jelly is prepared, compotes, jelly are cooked, dried, and the berries are eaten fresh.
Resistance to diseases and pests
The main enemies of the hawthorn variety Cock's Spur are; apple and comma scale insects - infect branches and trunk; apple aphid, psyllid, apple honeysuckle, hawthorn, ringed silkworm, stripped - cause damage to foliage. Hawthorn Cockspur is most susceptible to the diseases powdery mildew and leaf rust.
Advantages and disadvantages
The hawthorn variety Cock's Spur, like other varieties of this family, has certain strengths and weaknesses. The advantages include:
- drought resistance;
- undemanding to the growing environment;
- resistance to diseases and pests;
- regular fruiting;
- suitable for hedges;
- Resistant to gas pollution and strong winds.
Flaws:
- slow growth of seedlings;
- the first fruiting occurs at the age of 10-15 years;
- does not tolerate pruning;
- bark with thorns;
- relative frost resistance.
Landing Features
Hawthorn of the Cock's Spur variety is a non-capricious plant; it can grow in any conditions. The main thing is to perform the landing procedure correctly. Compliance with all the nuances will allow the culture to maintain its decorative durability for up to 40-50 years:
Recommended timing
Hawthorn variety Cock's Spur is recommended to be planted in the fall, during leaf fall. However, spring planting is also acceptable. Only the shrub needs to be planted before sap flow begins.
Planting in autumn is considered more successful. Before frost, the root system is able to strengthen and adapt to the new soil. During the winter, it gains strength for the further process of vegetation. As a rule, a tree planted in the fall blooms in the spring.
Selecting a suitable location and preparing the soil
Hawthorn Cockspur develops best, blooms profusely and bears fruit in well-drained, sandy or loamy soils. Don’t forget also about sunlight, which should be plenty on the site. Meanwhile, the plant is able to grow in partial shade. Open, wind-protected areas are ideal.
In group plantings, Cock's Spur hawthorns are planted at a distance of 2-5 m, and in alleys - 5-6 m. The best age for planting a tree in a permanent place is 3-5 years, older plants suffer quite a lot from replanting.
Before planting, fertilize the soil in advance.To fill the hole, combine turf soil, humus, peat and sand in proportions 2:2:1:1. In addition, manure and topsoil can be added to the planting mixture. The desired soil acidity is pH 7.5-8. It is worth noting that soft hawthorn has a highly branched, powerful, long root system. This factor must be taken into account when forming a recess.
What crops can and cannot be planted nearby?
Living, well-formed hedges are preferred to be planted at the borders of plots. But for fencing orchards where pears or apple trees are planted, hawthorn of the Rooster Spur variety cannot be used. Since these plants have the same pests, such an action will complicate the subsequent fight against parasites.
Selection and preparation of planting material
For planting, it is advisable to choose 2-3 year old seedlings. Their height depends on the type of planting: seedlings 1-1.5 m high are suitable for a two-row hedge; larger ones are needed for a single-row hedge. It is important that the plants have an equally developed root system and above-ground part. If you plan to plant free-standing trees, then the planting material should be up to 2 m in height and up to 5 years old.
Before planting, the lateral branches and top of the hawthorn seedling Cock's Spur are shortened by ½ the length of the growth, aligned with the total length of the plant. Remove broken roots and trim too long ones.
Landing algorithm
- In the selected area, dig a hole measuring 70x70 cm.
- A drainage layer of broken brick, crushed stone or expanded clay, 15 cm thick, is laid at the bottom.
- 30-40 g of lime or 50 g of phosphate rock are also sent to the pit.
- A hawthorn seedling of the Rooster Spur variety is placed in the center of the recess and sprinkled with earth. The root collar is not deepened too much; it should be 3-5 cm above the ground surface.
- The soil around the roots is carefully poured and compacted.
- At the end, you need to water the young hawthorn Cock's spur with warm water.
- At the end of planting, the circle around the trunk is mulched with peat.
Aftercare
Hawthorn variety Cock's Spur is easy to care for. Only simple rules and preventive measures are applied.
The hawthorn variety Cock's Spur is a drought-resistant plant. In cool weather, it will be enough to pour 10 liters of water under the bush. This volume is enough to avoid watering it at all for a month, since excess moisture can lead to rotting of the roots and death of the plant itself. On hot days, hawthorn Cockspur needs to be moistened up to 3 times a month.
After moistening the soil, loosen it to a depth of 15 cm. It should be removed regularly weeds. In the fall, dig around the perimeter of the crown.
In early spring, preventive pruning is carried out, removing dry, diseased, damaged branches. The tree is thinned out to provide access to air and light. Branches growing upward are also shortened.
The hawthorn variety Cock's Spur can be destroyed by severe frosts. In places with harsh climates, it is recommended to cover the root system. For this, as a rule, a mulching layer of hay, straw, and dry leaves is used. Cover the circumferential circle with a layer 10-15 cm thick.
For proper development and obtaining a decent harvest of berries, the Cock's Spur variety of hawthorn must be nourished. It is recommended to apply fertilizers 2 times per season. The first time is in early spring before the beginning of the growing season, using nitrophoska. The second time - during flowering, use slurry, 8 liters per tree.
Diseases and pests, methods of control and prevention
To maintain decorative qualities and obtain abundant flowering in the hawthorn variety Cock's Spur, it is necessary to promptly identify lesions and take measures to eliminate them. The fight against harmful insects involves:
- treatment with soap and tobacco solution - against aphids, scale insects;
- 0.1% metaphos, 0.3% karbofos - from apple scale insects, psyllids, silkworms;
- colloidal sulfur solution protects against ticks and hawthorn.
Fungal diseases are best controlled by spraying with systemic fungicides.
Application in landscape design
Hawthorn variety Cock's Spur has an attractive appearance all year round. In spring they delight with delicate blossoms, in summer - with fruits of various colors, in autumn the foliage changes shades, becoming red, orange, yellow, in winter - with a compact crown. The shrub is often used as a hedge due to its long spines and good tenacity. Planted as individual trees or in groups. Hawthorn Cockspur looks great as an element of landscape composition for alley plantings and sparse forest plantings.
Conclusion
Hawthorn Cock's spur is widely used for landscaping city parks, squares, and personal plots.And this is not without reason, since the plant is durable, undemanding to the composition of the soil, drought-resistant, and decorative. A number of useful qualities provide it with well-deserved popularity.
