meaning of hawthorn
1. A thorny shrub or tree (the Crataegus oxyacantha), having deeply lobed, shining leaves, small, roselike, fragrant flowers, and a fruit called haw. It is much used in Europe for hedges, and for standards in gardens. The American hawthorn is Crataegus cordata, which has the leaves but little lobed.
2. a spring-flowering shrub or small tree of the genus Crataegus