Hawthorn

Hawthorn thorns are smaller than honey locust's but more densely packed, creating an impenetrable barrier when the shrubs grow together. This density made hawthorn ideal for hedgerows - living fences that enclosed European agricultural land for centuries. The same thorns that deter herbivores provide protected nesting sites for birds. Defense infrastructure became habitat infrastructure.

The hedgerow function transformed hawthorn from wild shrub to managed resource. Farmers planted hawthorn in rows, laid and wove the stems to create denser barriers, and maintained the hedges across generations. The plant's defensive adaptation made it economically valuable for an entirely different purpose - territorial boundary marking.

Hawthorn berries (haws) provide food for thrushes and other birds that nest in the protective thorns. This creates positive feedback: birds are protected, birds spread seeds, more hawthorn grows. The thorn defense enables fruit production that finances thorn growth in new locations. Defense investment generates returns through entirely different channels.

The business insight is that defensive investments can enable unrelated value creation. Hawthorn's thorns evolved for herbivore defense but enabled bird partnerships and hedgerow economics. Companies that build defensive capabilities - IP protection, regulatory moats, exclusive relationships - may find these defenses enable business models that weren't originally intended. Defense creates habitat for opportunity.