HAWTHORN (CRATAGEOUS MONOGYNA)

Hawthorn is a native tree absolutely awash with folklore and legend. Also known as Huath, Whitethorn, May, Quickset, Ladies' Meat, Tree of Chastity and Hazels. It is deciduous with spiny stems and scented white flowers in late spring followed by red fruits, and can live as long as 400 years. It makes an excellent hedge and is very important for wildlife. Its Anglo-Saxon name is Haegthorn and, indeed, it is the tree most frequently mentioned in Anglo-Saxon boundary charters. "Haeg" or sometimes "haive" is Anglo-Saxon for hedge. Its botanical name comes from the Greek "kratos" = strength, referring to the hardness of the wood. Its berries are known as Pixie Pears, Cuckoo's Beads and Chucky Cheese.

According to Celtic mythology, Hawthorn is the most likely plant to be inhabited by fairies. If a twig of Hawthorn is tied together with red thread with twigs from an Oak and Ash, it will provide protection from fairies. One folk custom was to tie ribbons or rags onto Hawthorn trees at May Day as gifts to the fairies.

Hawthorn used to be called Bread and Cheese due to the young leaves being added to sandwiches by country folk. Many rituals are associated with Hawthorn. In pagan times, the king and queen of May were killed at the end of the tree's growing season, for example. During May Day festivities the flowers were used in garlands and branches cut, set in the ground outside houses and decorated with loads of wildflowers. In ancient Greece, crowns of Hawthorn blossoms were worn by wedding couples and the wedding party all carried burning torches of Hawthorn. During the country custom of "going a-Maying" branches would be cut to adorn doorways - although Hawthorn is rarely flowering on 1 May, it would have been flowering on the old May Day of 13 May prior to 1732. Its purpose was to protect from evil spirits. Hawthorn was also generally gathered on May Day morning, interwoven and placed on doors and windows - the weaving was important because it strengthened the plant's magical powers, as did its covering with overnight dew.

It is believed that Christ's crown of thorns was made from Hawthorn. Its link to Christianity endowed the tree with healing powers. A Somerset charm for a healing a wound meant passing a Hawthorn over the injury saying:

"Christ was of the Virgin born
He was pricked by a thorn,
It never did bell and swell
I trust in Jesus this never will"

St Joseph of Arimathea stuck his staff into the ground of Wearyall Hill, where it rooted and burst into leaf, blossoming every year on Christmas Day - becoming known as the Glastonbury Thorn. To this day a sprig from this particular Hawthorn is sent to the Queen each Christmas. The plant is often associated with the Green Man. Solitary Hawthorns often marked places of meetings of manorial courts or moots. In Ireland a lone Hawthorn was believed to be a meeting place for fairies. Farmers would cultivate around Hawthorn in fields due the presence of fairies. Also in Ireland, some Hawthorns were dedicated to saints, associated with holy wells or involved in burial customs.

It was thought dangerous to chop down a Hawthorn. It is told how a farmer in Worcestershire chopped his down because he was fed up with sightseers. As a result he broke his leg and arm and his farm burned down. If a Hawthorn had to be felled then a prayer must be said, although it mustn't be chopped down for no reason - only ritual or healing purposes would suffice. At Berwick-St-John in Dorset an old Hawthorn was cut down to provide firewood for the village. The tree had stood on an old earthwork and, as a result, no chickens would lay, no cows would bear calves and no babies were conceived. When the tree was replaced everything was then OK.

A sprig of Hawthorn worn on the hat will protect from lightning. Pick a piece at midnight and keep it in the house to bring luck. Tie outside the house to protect from lightning, witches, storms or to stop milk turning sour. Farm stock will flourish in a field that has Hawthorn. If three Hawthorn trees are found growing closely together it is wise to give them a wide berth. The site of Westminster Abbey used to be called Thorney Island due to the sacred stand of Hawthorn trees there.

The Hawthorn also became a symbol of chastity. No marriages were allowed during May and up to mid-June because it was deemed unlucky. However, its perfume was thought to smell of decay and this led to a reputation as an emblem of death and plague. Its scent contains trimethylene, which is also what corpses give off as they decay.

The Roman goddess Cardea, goddess of marriage and childbirth, was associated with Hawthorn. In Italian iconography she is depicted carrying a bough of Hawthorn as a protective emblem - this led to the practice of placing Hawthorn leaves in the cradles of newborn babies for protection. The Germans used Hawthorn wood in funeral pyres to assist the souls of the dead in their ascension. In the Middle Ages, Hawthorn was considered one of a witch's trees and on Beltane night a witch could turn herself in to a Hawthorn.

Hawthorn became the emblem of the House of Tudor because it is said that after Richard's death at Bosworth, Lord Stanley found his crown in a Hawthorn bush and placed it on the head of his son, Henry Tudor.

The Druids used Hawthorn to strengthen the body in old age. An infusion of berries can be drunk to relieve stress and nerves - pour a cup of boiling water on to 2 tsp of dried berries and leave for 20 minutes. The blossom can be made into a tea to help the heart and circulation. Collect the flowers and dry them quickly in brown paper bags hung in an airy place, then seal in an airtight container. Young leaves, leaf and flower buds can be added to salads. A liquer can be made from Hawthorn buds and brandy. Wood was used for making engravers' blocks and small articles such as handles. The root was used for boxes and combs. The tree is also diuretic and is used in dropsy and kidney problems. It has been used since the Middles Ages as a heart remedy. Traditional Chinese medicine uses it as a digestive aid. It regulates heart rhythm and reduces blood pressure. Berries can be made into a jelly.

Thomas the Rhymer, the thirteenth century Scottish mystic and poet, claimed he once met the Fairy Queen by a Hawthorn bush. She led him to the fairy underworld for a short stay but when he returned to the mortal world seven years has passed.

The tree is very important from a wildlife point of view. It is host to at least 149 insect species. Blackbirds and finches nest in it. The berries provide food for more than 23 species of birds. It is pollinated by dung flies and midges attracted by the smell. The flower's anthers are purple with brown pollen which, to flies, has the appearance of decaying flesh! Food plant of the caterpillars of the following moths - March, Common Emerald, Little Emerald, November, Pale November, Winter, Mottled Pug, Pinion Spotted Pug, Common Pug, Grey Pug, Peppered, Brindled Beauty, Pale Brindled Beauty, Feathered Thorn, Scalloped Hazel, Scalloped Oak, Swallow-tailed, Brimstone, Large Thorn, Early Thorn, Oak Tree Pug, The Magpie, and Broken Barred Carpet. The tree is also popular with Duke of Burgundy butterflies and Hawthorn Shield bugs.

Will tolerate windy and wet conditions, sun or partial shade, coastal conditions and chalk. It is also quite fast-growing. Height in 10 years - 5m. If left to grow as a tree it can reach as much as 18 m (60 feet). Grows in almost any soil or situation (exceptions are high altitudes and deep shade).

*This sheet is provided for information only and is in no way a prescription for use. Please seek the advice of a qualified herbalist before using*

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