Paul's Scarlet

Paul's Scarlet is one of the finest English hawthorns. The main attraction is the dark pink blossom, often with white centres. Unusually for a hawthorn they are "double" flowers - the extra petals giving a more pronounced display than the single-flowered forms.

The green leaves also turn a plain yellow in autumn, and are dotted with crimson red berries.

Paul's Scarlet grows in a neat tidy fashion, making it a good garden tree.

As with most forms of the species Crataegus laevigata, the branches are protected by short thorns. However the main stem tends to be mostly smooth, with only the occasional thorn.

Paul's Scarlet hawthorn trees for sale

All our pot-grown trees are grown for us to our specification by the Frank P Matthews nursery.

All pot-grown trees are suitable for planting out in the garden, some are suitable for growing in containers.

• 11-year bare-root tree £44.50

  
  Large size (3m-5m after 10 years)
  

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• 22-year pot-grown tree £72.95

  
  Grown for us by Frank P Matthews nursery
  In a 12L pot
  Large size (3m-5m after 10 years)
  

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Delivery from week commencing 10th November 2025 for pot grown trees and December 2025 for bare-rooted or mixed orders.

How to grow

If you have rabbits in the vicinity be sure to protect the trees, as rabbits like to eat young hawthorn bark.

If you have purchased a 1-year bare-root hawthorn, cut the main stem at about 1.5m - 1.75m to stimulate side shoots the following year. Pot-grown trees have already had this formative training at the nursery and do not need pruning.

History

Paul's Scarlet was named in the 1860s by William Paul, a Victorian plant breeder. It is a sport of the double-flowered hawthorn Rosea Flora Pleno.

Paul's Scarlet characteristics

• AwardsRHS AGM (current) - 1993
• Growth habitUpright-spreading / Vase
• Height after 10 years3m-5m / 10ft-16ft
• SunlightTolerates shadePrefers full sun
• PruningLight prune
• Site conditionsCoastal siteOccasional flooding
• WildlifeAttractive to birds
• Flower colourPink - dark
• Flower formDouble flower (25-50 petals)
• Flowering monthMay
• Leaf colourGreen
• Fruit colourRed
• Fruit sizeSmall
• Country of originUnited Kingdom

Similar varieties

• 
  Crataegus laevigata
  Plena
  Similar to Paul's Scarlet, but with double white flowers.
• 
  Crataegus laevigata
  Rosea Flore Pleno
  Similar to Paul's Scarlet but with dusky pink double flowers.

What will it look like?

Illustrative example of a pot-grown tree of this variety as supplied. Approximate girth: 6/8cm. We try to keep all pot-grown trees down to about 1.5m as supplied, but some may be larger. Trees should reach their mature height after about 10 or more years. We may also have 1-year bare-root trees of this variety - they are not shown here.