Double-flowered Midland hawthorn

I found this unusual double-flowered cultivar of Midland hawthorn Crataegus laevigata 'plena alba' in a hedgerow in Durham city a few days ago.

Midland hawthorn isn't very common in Durham and this double-flowered version is rarer still - this is the first time I've seen it.

This is common hawthorn Crataegus monogyna, which is the prevalent hawthorn species in hedgerows in the North East. Can't honestly saw that double-flowered hawthorn is an improvement on the wild type.

A Tree-Spotter's Guide to Flowers: 5

This is Sambucus racemosa, an introduced relative of our native elder Sambucus nigra that's quite commonly naturalised in Scotland but not seen very often further south. This is one of several large specimens on the edge of Blaid's Wood in Durham. It flowers much earlier than our native elder and the flowers are produced in dense conical inflorescences rather than the familiar flat 'plates' seen in elder. The ripe fruit is scarlet, not black.

Hawthorn or May blossom. If the flowers have a single stigma in the centre it's Crataegus monogyna, if there are two it's C. laevigata (but check several flowers because this can be a bit variable on the same plant). The flowers have a distinct fishy smell that's attractive to flies.

Beech Fagus sylvatica - dangling tufts of stamens produced alongside the fresh new foliage.