Invasiveness Assessment - Hawthorn (Crataegus monogyna) in Victoria (Nox)
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Plant invasiveness is determined by evaluating a plant’s biological and ecological characteristics against criteria that encompass establishment requirements, growth rate and competitive ability, methods of reproduction, and dispersal mechanisms.
| Each characteristic, or criterion, is assessed against a list of intensity ratings. Depending upon information found, a rating of Low, Medium Low, Medium High or High is assigned to that criterion. Where no data is available to answer a criterion, a rating of medium (M) is applied. A description of the invasiveness criteria and intensity ratings used in this process can be viewed here. |
The following table provides information on the invasiveness of Hawthorn.
A more detailed description of the methodology of the Victorian Weed Risk Assessment (WRA) method can be viewed below:
Victorian Weed Risk Assessment (WRA) method (PDF - 630 KB)
Victorian Weed Risk Assessment (WRA) method (DOC - 1 MB)
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Common Name: Hawthorn
Scientific name: Crataegus monogyna
| Question | Comments | Reference | Rating |
| Establishment | |||
| Germination requirements? | Seeds germinate in autumn. | P & C (1992) | MH |
| Establishment requirements? | Occurs along forest margins and woodland areas (e.g. damp sclerophyll forest), so can establish under moderate canopy. | P & C (1992) Carr et al (1992) | MH |
| How much disturbance is required? | Established in minor disturbed natural ecosystems (e.g. woodlands and wetlands). | Carr et al (1992) | MH |
| Growth/Competitive | |||
| Life form? | An erect shrub. Other. | P & C (1992) | L |
| Allelopathic properties? | None described. |  | L |
| Tolerates herb pressure? | Consumed but not preferred due to spines. | P & C (1992) | MH |
| Normal growth rate? | “Slow early growth”. “Competitive ability low at first then aggressive”. | Robinson (1996) Ester et al (1993) | MH |
| Stress tolerance to frost, drought, w/logg, sal. etc? | Tolerance to drought, cold (frost), salinity. | P & C (1992) | MH |
| Reproduction | |||
| Reproductive system | Reproducing by seed and suckers. | P & C (1992) | H |
| Number of propagules produced? | Produce large amounts of seed. Well over 2,000 berries (1 seed per berry) would be produced on a mature tree. (See pic. P & C 1992). | P & C (1992) | H |
| Propagule longevity? | ? | | M |
| Reproductive period? | Plants are long lived, possibly > 70 years. | P & C (1992) Ester et al (1993) | H |
| Time to reproductive maturity? | Plants do not flower until the 2nd or 3rd year. | P & C (1992) | ML |
| Dispersal | |||
| Number of mechanisms? | Contaminated machinery, vehicles, animals (including birds) agricultural produce, mud and other animals (foxes, possums and wallaroos). | P & C (1992) | H |
| How far do they disperse? | “Seeds are not equipped in any special way to aid dispersal”. However, seeds consumed by mammals especially and also birds is likely to be dispersed > 200 m. Also, Cooke (1991) states that seeds are spread “far into the bush” by birds and possums that eat the fruit. | P & C (1992) Cooke (1991) | MH |
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