Can you help ID this tree please?

[AJL]

Hi this tree was in a car park nearby- fantastic autumn colours , thorny and covered in these fruit ,Im guessing Crataegus spp but which one ?
Sorry no tree pics today as it was pouring rain but I will go back and get some shots to post here soon.
Any advice on best ways to propagate Crataegus spp for bonsai, apart from grafting?

 

[AJL]

Here is the tree -and the recent windy weather has battered the tree so its not looking as bright as earlier in the week
Can anyone recognise the species now?

 

[AlainK]

Yes, I think it's a sort of Crataegus. I saw one in a park last year, but can't remember the name...

 

[AJL]

Ive done some research :-Its possibly Crataegus prunifolia or Crataegus persimilis?
Has anyone tried them out as bonsai?

 

[penumbra]

I think it might be the cultivar Winter King. Seeds take two years.

 

[AJL]

Do you know if they will root easily from cuttings?
I am keeping the seed in the fridge overwinter and will try sandpapering some before sowing to see if that helps encourage germination

 

[Woocash]

There’s a couple of really random self seeders near me that had me perplexed for a while. I had narrowed it down to a couple and settled on Crataegus Crus-Galli ’inermis’ or the Cockspur Hawthorn. Apparently a previously popular ornamental tree in the UK in the 70’s and 80’s but now not as popular. Can’t remember where I read that so don’t know how true it really is.

I found one near me 2 or 3 years ago with some awesome low movement, but it was a bit small so I’ve left it to grow out a bit more and it certainly hasn’t grown as quickly as our native hawthorn. That is from a sample size of 1 though!
Really can’t wait to collect it because it has loads of lovely features for bonsai and the autumn colour is almost fluorescent with colours of fire.

No idea about propagation, sorry.

 

[Potawatomi13]

IMO thorny means not suitable for Bonsai! Do not care what else it has.

 

[August44]

IMO thorny means not suitable for Bonsai! Do not care what else it has.

I like Hawthorn, especially from the wild. I just cut the thorns off but watch out for the bud right at the base of the thorns.

 

[AJL]

Thorns don't stop lots of us growing Pyracantha, Berberis, Hawthorn, Blackthorn etc as Bonsai and the thorns are pretty easy to snip off on a small tree so why not?!