BlackthornFiona Chan-Cary, CC BY 4.0
Blackthorn
HawthornAndrew Skotnicki, CC BY 4.0
Hawthorn
Lookalikes

Blackthorn or hawthorn?

Both are thorny hedgerow shrubs with white flowers.

The quickest check

The quickest check is the flowers and leaves, and when. Blackthorn: mid-March into April, on bare wood. Hawthorn: from early May, once in leaf. No flowers on the tree? Check the outline.

At a glance

Look atBlackthornHawthorn
Flowers and leaves, and whenMid-March into April, on bare woodFrom early May, once in leaf
OutlineA small plain oval, finely toothedThree to seven lobes, cut at least halfway in
Buds along a thornTiny dark buds set along the spine itselfOne small brown bud beside its base
Fruit in autumnRound, dusty blue sloesRed haws about 10 mm

Four ways to tell them apart

Flowers and leaves, and whenFlowers
Blackthorn: flowers and leaves, and when
BlackthornMid-March into April, on bare wood
Hawthorn: flowers and leaves, and when
HawthornFrom early May, once in leaf
OutlineLeaves
Blackthorn: outline
BlackthornA small plain oval, finely toothed
Hawthorn: outline
HawthornThree to seven lobes, cut at least halfway in
Buds along a thornTwigs and buds
BlackthornTiny dark buds set along the spine itself
HawthornOne small brown bud beside its base
Fruit in autumnSloes
Blackthorn: fruit in autumnNicola Crockford, CC BY 4.0
BlackthornRound, dusty blue sloes
Hawthorn: fruit in autumnHenry Miller, CC BY 4.0
HawthornRed haws about 10 mm
Think you can tell them apart now? Try the tree quiz: real photographs, and what gives each tree away.Take the quiz

The two trees

Blackthorn

Prunus spinosa

Blackthorn is a dense shrub with stiff, thorny branches. Its white flowers open on the bare, almost black stems in March, and in autumn it carries dusty blue sloes.

How to identify blackthorn →

Hawthorn

Crataegus monogyna

Hawthorn is a dense, thorny shrub or small tree with little, deeply lobed leaves. It is white with blossom from early May and red with haws in autumn.

How to identify hawthorn →

Their other lookalikes

BlackthornCherry plumBlackthorn or cherry plum?Quickest check: the flower and its stalkBlackthornSpindleBlackthorn or spindle?Quickest check: the top of a leafBlackthornWild cherryBlackthorn or wild cherry?Quickest check: how the flowers sitBlackthornCrab appleBlackthorn or crab apple?Quickest check: when it flowersHawthornAppleHawthorn or apple?Quickest check: the outlineHawthornCommon whitebeamHawthorn or common whitebeam?Quickest check: the outlineHawthornCrab appleHawthorn or crab apple?Quickest check: the outline of a leafHawthornField mapleHawthorn or field maple?Quickest check: the bare shootHawthornMidland hawthornHawthorn or Midland hawthorn?Quickest check: the depth of the lobesHawthornRowanHawthorn or rowan?Quickest check: the whole leafHawthornPearHawthorn or pear?Quickest check: the outline of a leaf
In the app

See them side by side in Treely

  • Both trees, part by partLeaves, bark, buds, flowers and fruit, photographed through the year
  • Every lookalike side by sideThe checks that settle it, for every pair people mix up
  • A short round each dayUntil you can tell them apart at a glance
  • The full GuideBoth trees written up in full, with where to find them
App StoreGoogle Play

Free to download.

Every fact on this page is checked against the Collins Tree Guide, last in November 2026. Spotted something that looks wrong in front of a real tree? Tell us. How we check.

Photographs: Fiona Chan-Cary (CC BY 4.0), Andrew Skotnicki (CC BY 4.0), empressmoth (CC0), cjoynson (CC0), steve_mcwilliam (CC0), Leon Cross (CC BY 4.0), Nicola Crockford (CC BY 4.0), Henry Miller (CC BY 4.0). With thanks to everyone who shares their photographs on iNaturalist and Wikimedia Commons.