It is commonly found growing in hedgerows, woodland and scrub. It will grow in most soils, but flowers and fruits best in full sun.
Hawthorn (
Crataegus monogyna) trees can grow up to 15 metres tall but they are usually found in hedges, with the Anglo Saxon word, ‘haga’ meaning both hedge and hawthorn! Their flowers are hermaphrodite (contain both male and female reproductive parts) and are highly scented to attract insect pollinators. The flowers are often also called May blossom, after the month in which they bloom. Once pollinated, the flowers develop into red fruit known as 'haws'. Although they look like berries, they are a type of fruit known as a pome, which is a fleshy fruit (such as an apple or pear) made up of an outer thick fleshy layer and a central core with usually five seeds enclosed in a capsule. Haws are an important food source for birds which then spread the seeds in their poo!
For more info see
https://www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/trees-woods-and-wildlife/british-trees/a-z-of-british-trees/hawthorn/