Hawthorn variety help

[littlebiglane]

Hiyah,

I know that Hawthorns can be very variable in size of berry and I usually pick either Common or Midland Hawthorn) but I was out today picking as usual hawthorns to make some turkish delight and I came across a larger tree with bigger, fatter berries on it, the leaves were not similar to the normal, smaller berried hawthorns I pick and had a more serrated edge and were hairless on underside. Leaves were still quite small and unusually leathery and the size of the fruit and the the leaves reminded me more of a Sorbus / Service / French Haw (without the furry under leaf that quite a few sorbus's have). The other thing was that there was not a single thorn on the tree.

Any idea what variety of haw it is?

 

[Toddy]

There's an American variety called Thornless cockspur that has been used for public plantings. It might be that or some mix ? I'm sure the fruits are larger too.

cheers,
Toddy

 

[littlebiglane]

Thanks Toddy. Hmmmm...it might be but found 10 metres set back from an ancient Devon ridgeway beside a gate. Its not an ancient tree though and the ones around it are the more diminutive and smaller berried sort. Mind you...the pip could have dropped from a passing bird. Will keep looking at my guide books but nothing strikes me so far.

LBL