Hawthorn Berries - The Magick Moon

Hawthorn Berries are whole, and sold by the ounce.

Hawthorn also known as Hawthorne, Haw, May Bush, May Tree, Mayblossom, Mayflower, Quickset, Thorn-apple Tree, Whitethorn, Ladies Meat, Crataegus Pinnatifida, and the Bread and Cheese Tree.

A Druid sacred tree, this deciduous, thorny shrub has serrated, lobed leaves, dense white flower clusters in late spring, and red false fruits (haws). The flowers consist of five white petals, sacred to the Goddess.

Hawthorn was formerly regarded as sacred, with the belief that it was used to create the Crown of Thorns that was said to be placed upon Christ`s brow. During World War I, young Hawthorn leaves were used as substitutes for tea and tobacco, and the seeds were ground in place of coffee.

Hawthorn trees are often found beside clootie wells; at these types of holy wells they are sometimes known as 'rag trees', for the strips of cloth which are tied to them as part of healing rituals. 'When all fruit fails, welcome haws' was once a common expression in Ireland.

Hawthorn berries are more often used to make tinctures than teas, smoothies and punches. May also be taken encapsulated or as an extract.

Magical Properties:
Zodiac: Cancer
Gender: Male
Planet: Mars
Element: Fire
Deities: Cardeam Flora, Hymen
Basic Powers: Happiness, Hex-Breaking, Protection, Fairy Calling, Love, Luck, Lust, and Fertility

Hawthorn is the classic flower to decorate a maypole. An herb of fertility, it finds its place in weddings, May Day celebrations, and ritual groves. Beltane was once reckoned as the day the hawthorn first bloomed. Wands made of hawthorn have great power. The blossoms are highly erotic. Use for fertility magic, protection, defense and chastity. Hawthorn is sacred to the fairies, and is part of the tree fairy triad of Britain 'Oak, Ash and Thorn' and where all three trees grow together it is said that one may see fairies.

Use in spells to increase love and passion and for luck. Carry for protection and good health.

Hawthorn Berry is protective, especially to the hearth and home. A tea brewed from them can be sprinkled around the home to shield the premises from evil, or it may be drunk for personal protection.

The berries can also be kept in the living room in a potpourri dish with other protective herbs to help assure that evil people do not enter. Hawthorn Berries are also used in an old-time spell to keep a woman from coming around to see your man. It is said that if a woman-friend of yours is trying to steal your husband, Hawthorn Berries sprinkled across her path will block her from entering your house for that purpose, although she may still come around as your friend.

Hawthorn is an herb of fertility and love. Because of the proscription against harvesting or cutting Hawthorn, any use of it should be with care. It has a strong Magick, but it should only be used wisely in a ritual context, in a way that works with the traditions of time, giving honor to the turning of the seasons, and giving honor to Mother Earth and her customs. When working within the context of this tree's lore, it provides a most desirable wand, but one must work with its Deva. The Hawthorn is closely associated with Beltane.

Medicinal Usage:
The berry is a superior heart tonic, useful for almost any heart condition. Cholesterol problems and valvular diseases are benefited. The berries also strengthen the appetite and digestion. Extended use lowers blood pressure. Hawthorn berry is a good remedy for the nerves and for insomnia. The berries are simmered or tinctured. Simmer two teaspoons of berries per cup of water for twenty minutes.

The dose is a quarter cup four times a day. Take ten to twenty drops of tincture four times a day. The flowers are taken as a tea to benefit the heart. Steep two teaspoons of flowers per cup of water for twenty minutes; the dose is a quarter cup four times a day.

The berries are also used to treat a heart muscle weakened by age, for inflammation of the heart muscle, for arteriosclerosis, and for nervous heart. The effect of hawthorn berry on these heart conditions is not immediate; it may be necessary to take the herb for 4 to 6 weeks to see results. Leaf and flower preparations may work faster, but hawthorn berries are better for some specific problems.

A tincture made from a combination of hawthorn berries and camphor will not eliminate orthostatic hypotension, but it will reduce it enough that it does not cause swooning or fainting.

Another often-overlooked use of hawthorn berries, this time as a tea, is treatment irritable bowel syndrome. Making a cup of tea with no more than a half-teaspoon of crushed, dried berries can relieve the constipation and gas associated with the condition.

Culinary Usage:
The young leaves and berries of the Hawthorn used to be known as 'bread and cheese', the young leaves actually have a rather nutty taste, and can be harvested and added to salads in early spring.

Later than this and the leaves become bitter tasting and are not as tasty at all. Leaves and flowers were used to make herbal tea long before china tea came to this country and are still used in herbal brews today.

The berries have a fresh but mealy taste and make a useful addition to hedgerow jams, as in the recipe below. They're also used to make wine and liqueurs.

Cosmetic Usage:
N/A

Usage Example:
Hawthorn Berries can be made into jam or added to soup.

To make a tea, add 2 teaspoons of crushed Hawthorn Berries to 1 cup cold water. Let stand for 7 or 8 hours, and then bring quickly to a boil and strain.

Taken in excess, hawthorn berry teas can cause mild diarrhea. This does not occur when the berries are used to make tinctures or are encapsulated. Diarrhea is not a side effect of the leaf and flowers. The taking of the Hawthorn Berry may interfere with digitalis medication.

NOTE: Although there are medical usage notations provided for Hawthorn Berries listed above, we are not doctors, and do not provide this educational information as medical advice. We suggest you consult with a physician or certified herbalist if you are seeking medical remedies. The information provided above is strictly informational, and not meant or intended as medical advice. The Magick Moon, nor its employees shall be held responsible, or liable for the misuse of herbs listed in this section.

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