Hawthorn (Crataegus Monogyna L.) Berries

Description ShareTweetPinLinkedInPrintEmail Hawthorn (Crataegus Monogyna L.) Berries HERB COMMON NAME :  Hawthorn HERB SCIENTIFIC NAME :  Crataegus Monogyna L. OTHER NAMES :  May Flowers, May Tree, Bread and Cheese Tree, Hagthorn, Gaxels, Halves, Haw, Hazels, Huath, Ladies’ Meat, May, Mayblossom, May Bush, Mayflower, Quick, Thorn, Tree of Chastity, Cuckoo’s Beads, Pixie Pear, Whitethorn FAMILY :  Rosaceae ASSOCIATIONS & CORRESPONDENCES : Element: Fire Planet: Mars Day: Saturday Direction: South Zodiac Sign: Taurus, Gemini Chakra: 4th Heart Chakra (Anahata) Energy: Yang Gender: Masculine Rune: Thurisaz, Odal Ogham: Huath Tarot: Ace of Wands Animal: Hedgehog, Wolf Sabbat or Holiday: Beltane / May Day / Walpurgis (April 30 – May 1) ; Yule (December 21 – January 1) ; Strawberry Moon Deity or God / Goddess Association: Cardea, Flora, Hymen, Brigid, Danu, Frigg, Belenus, Prometheus, Thor, Zeus, Maia, Hekate, Oizys (Miseria)   Parts Used:  Leaf, Flower, and Berries Description:  Hawthorn is a flowering shrub indigenous to Asia, Europe and North America. Like other members of the rose family, this hardwood shrub produces fragrant blossoms and sharp thorns for self-protection. The hawthorn shrub was often used as a boundary marker.  Hawthorn is also called “haw”, an old word for hedge. Hawthorn produces red fruits or berries that are botanically known as haws. The red-to-black fruits lend a tart flavor to teas, jams and baked goods. Hawthorn leaf and flower are used to make teas, extracts and tinctures. Hawthorn works as a CNS depressant, similarly to Valium, Klonopin, and Xanax. It relaxes the mind, muscles, and body. Hawthorn is one of the best traditional tonic remedies for heart problems and the circulatory system. It acts in a normalizing way upon the heart by either stimulating or depressing its activity based upon the need. It has been shown to increase blood flow to the heart without affecting pulse rate or raising blood pressure. As a long-term treatment, it has been used safely in heart failure (cardiac insufficiency) and weakness. It has also been used in cases of palpitations, arrhythmia and valvular insufficiency. As a tonic for the circulatory system, it has an important use for hypertension, atherosclerosis, and angina. It has also been used for vessel problems including varicose veins or even ulcers. The leaves and flowers are used to produce medicinal preparations approved for heart conditions in Europe by the German E Commission. Hawthorn has also been used for arthritis, fractures, and osteoporosis. Hawthorn is believed to help with memory (brain function) when combined with ginkgo biloba. Like oak, the Hawthorn produces hard wood and great heat when burned. Historical Uses:  central nervous system sedative, antioxidant, adaptogen, cardiac trophorestorative, cardiotonic, hypotension, coronary vasodilator, peripheral vasodilator, anti-arrhythmic, high blood pressure, diuretic, collagen stabilizing, reduces myocardial oxygen demand, protects against myocardial damage, muscle relaxing, nervousness, insomnia, sleeplessness, severe anxiety, stress, panic attacks, circular thoughts, seizures, heart problems, blood circulation, hypertension, atherosclerosis, angina, varicose veins, arthritis, broken bones, bone fracture, osteoporosis, memory, brain function Mystical Attributes:  In Teutonic lore, Hawthorn symbolized death and was used in funeral pyres. In ancient Greece, married couples were crowned with hawthorn blossoms and the wedding party carried torches of hawthorn. Hawthorn is also connected with the worship of the Roman goddess Maia (the mother of Hermes), who gave her name to the month of May, and was morphed into the Virgin Mary by the Catholic Church. During springtime festivals in England, large Hawthorn boughs were cut and stood up in the ground outside houses. They were called May Bushes and decorated with wildflowers. Although it was permissible to decorate outside with hawthorn blossoms, bringing them into the home would surely bring illness and death. Hawthorn is a sacred tree in many Pagan religions. In the past, most Witch’s gardens contained at least one Hawthorn hedge. The blossoms, called May Flowers, are used in spring celebrations. The May Pole is traditionally made of hawthorn or decorated with hawthorn flowers. Witches have long danced and performed their rites beneath the hawthorn tree. As the tree is sacred to fairies (who live within), one must ask permission before taking the blooms or sprigs and must certainly leave an offering when cutting down a whole tree lest you receive very bad luck. The phrase “by Oak, Ash and Thorn” referred to Hawthorn (the Thorn part) used in blessing and ritual. These three trees were considered portals to the realm of the fae. Up until about a hundred years ago, people in Cornwall decorated their front door with Hawthorn branches for Beltane. Another custom was spreading hawthorn branches in front of the barn on Walpurgis Night to protect the animals inside. Placed around doors and windows, hawthorn will prevent spirits from entering. In Serbia and Croatia, Hawthorn was considered an effective protection against vampires and beings associated with the Underworld. Planting it as a hedge around your home will keep out unfriendly spirits. Adding hawthorn to an amulet will protect you from spirits and harmful magic. The Romans placed Hawthorn in cradles to guard the child from evil spells. Planting hawthorn around other trees, or near your home is said to protect them from lightning strikes and storms. Thorns can be used to mark wax, to write with magical ink, or to fix something for magical purposes. Hawthorn has long been used to increase fertility. Because of this power, it is incorporated into weddings and handfasting ceremonies, especially those performed in the spring. The leaves, curiously enough, are also used to enforce or maintain chastity or celibacy. The leaves are placed beneath the mattress or around the bedroom for this purpose. Carried in a sachet on a fishing trip, Hawthorn ensured a good catch. Worn or carried, it promotes happiness in the troubled, depressed, or sad. Mystical Intentions:  funeral rites, love, weddings, marriage, fertility, chastity, fae magic, fairy magic, home protection, protection from evil spirits, protection from lightning, blessing, hunting, happiness, protection of children Other Uses:  Use to make tea, alone or in combination with other herbs. Hawthorn leaf and flower may also be tinctured or encapsulated as a dietary supplement. The red-to-black fruits lend a tart flavor to teas, jams and baked goods.   Taste & Smell:  Mild and pleasant tasting. Botany, Cultivation & Harvesting:  Hawthorn is a large shrub or small tree growing to 26 feet (rarely to 40 feet) tall, with a dense crown. The leaves are ¾” long and ¾-2” broad, with 2–3 shallow, forward-pointing lobes on each side of the leaf. The hermaphrodite flowers are produced in corymbs of 6–12, each flower with five white or pale pink petals and two or three styles, can have a fetid scent, and are pollinated by midges. The fruit is a dark red pome about ¼” diameter, slightly broader than long, containing 2–3 nutlets. A true woodland species, Hawthorn grows well in quite dense shade, can tolerate more sun, and grows well in woodland edges and as hedges. Hawthorn prefers a well-drained moisture retentive loamy soil but adapts to many soil conditions. Sow the seed as soon as it is ripe in the autumn in a cold frame. Some of the seed will germinate in the spring, though most will probably take another year. Stored seed can be very slow and erratic to germinate, it should be warm stratified for 3 months at 15°C and then cold stratified for another 3 months at 4°C. It may still take another 18 months to germinate. Seedling trees take from 5 – 8 years before they start bearing fruit, though grafted trees will often flower heavily in their third year. Harvest hawthorn leaf-buds in the early spring, hawthorn flowers in the spring and hawthorn berries after they ripen in the fall. Use the various parts fresh or dry them for later use. Store dried (whole or powdered) berries, leaves and flowers in airtight containers in a cool, dry place. Contraindications & Toxicity: May help reduce toxicity of cardiac glycosides, hypertensive medications and CNS depressants. Interaction with Digitalis has not been confirmed. May interfere with digitalis medications. If you have a known heart condition or take medications for high blood pressure or irregular heart rhythm, check with your doctor before using hawthorn because the herb may increase the effects of these drugs.   Constituents: Oligomeric Procyanidins (procyanidin B-2, epicatechin, catechin) Flavonoids (kaempferol, quercetin, apigenin, luteolin, rutin) Amines (phenylethylamine, tyramine, choline) Anthocyanidins     Sources: https://spiritartsandherbs.com/sources **IMPORTANT INFORMATON: Products are sold as curio items for entertainment purposes only and based upon historical and magical uses.  We do not imply or guarantee that any items provide specific abilities, powers, outcomes, remedies, or treatments. Any information provided on listings or through private conversation is intended for educational purposes only and are based on historical folklore and traditions, and should not replace the advice of a physician. Use our products at your own risk. By purchasing this item, you understand and release Spirit Arts & Herbs Inc from any liability. No items we sell are for internal use and should never be ingested for any reason. Some may also not be safe for topical application, or even be safe to touch while unprotected. Always use proper safety precautions when using our products. We will not be held responsible for illness, injury, or death from the use of any product. PRODUCT IS NOT A TREATMENT. This product has not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. Not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. CAUTION : Do not use ANY product if pregnant or nursing. Do not use if allergic to any ingredients. Prior to use, consult with your professional health-care provider to ensure safe use and understand effects that ingredients may cause relative to safety, personal conditions, and medication interactions which may be harmful. FOR ADULT USE ONLY. By purchasing, you confirm that you are over 18 years of age. 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