Crataegus

Thorn, Thorn Apple, Hawthorn, May tree, Thornapple, Whitethorn

Message of the Flower

Spring Purity

The Mother’s Comment

The charm and freshness of youth.

Spiritual Message by the Mother/ Quotes by Sri Aurobindo

This is purity, to accept no other influence but only the influence of the Divine.

The Mother, Words of the Mother - II: Purity

One is truly perfectly pure only when the whole being, in all its elements and all its movements, adheres fully, exclusively, to the divine Will. This indeed is total purity. It does not depend on any moral or social law, any mental convention of any kind. It depends exclusively on this: when all the elements and all the movements of the being adhere exclusively and totally to the divine Will.

The Mother, Questions and Answers 1954: 22 December 1954

What I call purity, the true purity, is not all those things morality teaches: it is non-ego.

There must be nothing but Him.

Him, not only because we have given Him everything and consecrated ourselves totally to Him (that is not enough), but Him because He has taken total possession of the human instrument.

The Mother, Mother's Agenda: May 21, 1960

There is a force of purity, not the purity of the moralist, but an essential purity of spirit, in the very substance of the being.

Sri Aurobindo, Letters on Yoga - IV: Sex

Colour

White

Family

Rosaceae

Cultivars

Many, including 'Crimson Cloud', 'Paul's Scarlet', and 'Plena'

Person who named the flower

Carl Linnaeus

Flower Size

Typically 1-2 cm in diameter.

Flower Texture

Soft, delicate.

Number of Petals

Five

Floral Symmetry

Radial

Fragrance of Flower

Mildly fragrant, some species more so than others.

Leaf Texture

Generally smooth with some species having slightly serrated edges.

Leaf Arrangement

Alternate

Leaf Color

Green, turning yellow, orange, or red in autumn.

Structural Variation (Shrub or Tree)

Both. Can be a dense shrub or a small tree.

Life Cycle

Perennial

Blooming Period

Spring to early summer.

Climate

Temperate

Water Requirements

Moderate, drought-tolerant once established.

Soil Type

Adaptable to various soil types, prefers well-drained soil.

Temperature Ranges

Hardy in USDA zones 4 through 8.

Sun or Shade

Prefers full sun to partial shade.

Susceptibility to Insects and Diseases

Susceptible to rusts, leaf spot, and blights. Aphids and mites can also be problematic.

Pollinators

Bees, butterflies, and other insects.

Habitat

Woodlands, hedgerows, and thickets.

Role in the Ecosystem

Provides food and shelter for wildlife. Berries are a food source for birds and mammals.

Ornamental

Widely planted for decorative purposes, especially attractive during flowering and when berries are present.

Uses in Other Aspects of Life

Hedging and landscaping.

Endangered Status

Not generally endangered; many species are widespread and common.

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