May is forever associated in my mind with blossoming Hawthorn trees. Right around Mother’s Day (though on this cold wet spring it was 10 days after) the white blossoms burst forth and cover the tree and ground beneath them like snow. I go out and with leather gloves strip the small green leaves packed with antioxidants and vitamin K, along with showers of petals into harvest tubs.

I have a circuit of local farms that have old lovely Haws. I visit them each May and harvest just the lowest branches- leaving towers of flowers waving in the breeze above me.

The leaves and flowers will go into our Heart of Gold herbal blend. I part hawthorn leaf and flower, one part farm tulsi and one part rose petals. In fact Hawthorn is in the rose family so really it’s a double rose and tulsi blend.

Like roses, the Hawthorn has been connected to the medicine of the heart for centuries.

Scientific study has revealed Hawthorn leaf, flower and berries are packed with antioxidants known as flavanoids that signficantly improve circulation to the heart. regulate blood pressure, decrease chest pain and lower risk of heart failure. In fact one of the main

In traditional herbalism, Hawthorn was used to treat a variety of life experiences, supporting individuals dealing with occasional stress and sadness.* It was given to individuals with broken hearts, who had experienced loss, or who were in interesting situations. 

Go to sleep with Hawthorn. Through supporting the nervous system hawthorn leaf and flower promotes a sense of calm, a healthy sleep cycle, and sweet dreams. Because of this, it’s a great herb to incorporate into your evening routine.

Hawthorn was prized among Northwest Coastal Native People for many things. In addition to the flowers and berries being used as medicine, the large black thorns were used to make fish hooks, sewing awls, and lances for probing blisters, boils, and for piercing ears. The wood is unusually hard and has been fashioned into tools and weapons. It also makes long-lasting and hot fuel.

Hawthorn stories abound in European folklore. It is called “may flower” and has been an important part of European May Day celebrations, spring ceremonies and weddings since Roman times. The May Day festival is ancient and was named after the Greek goddess Maia. The maypole, which represents renewal and fertility, was decorated with hawthorn. During ancient Greek weddings, guests brought sprigs of hawthorn to bring happiness and prosperity to the new couple.

Hawthorn has been used by European people for spiritual protection in a similar way to Native American people’s use of wild rose. It was attached to babies’ cradleboards, windows and doorways to offer defense against illness and unwanted influences.

Christians adopted hawthorn from pagan traditions and dedicated it to the Virgin Mary. Christ’s crown of thorns was supposedly made from hawthorn. In legend, Joseph of Arimathea, Christ’s teacher and the caretaker of his tomb after the crucifixion, brought the first hawthorn to England in 63 AD. Where he planted his staff in the ground at Glastonbury it rooted and grew into a “holy thorn” that was said to bloom every Christmas.

“Haw” is German for hedge. Hawthorn was valued as a hedge or fence to mark land plots by many American immigrant farmers. This living hedge provided a windbreak and offers a place for pollinators, birds and other animals to thrive. You can still see hawthorn hedgerows on old farms and public spaces throughout the Northwest. I like the idea of bringing biodiversity back to farming and see local farmers re-embracing these old values through planting hedgerows.