The May, Whitethorn, Quickthorn, all are country names for this most remarkable of trees that blooms so prolifically throughout much of the month. I believe I have written about hawthorn more than any other plant, yet every season and every year affords me fresh insights into her great worth.
The blossoming of the May is one of the highlights of my herbal year. Though many dislike the smell, which is deep, musky and often compared to rotting meat (I don’t see the resemblance myself!) I find it nothing short of delightful – earthy, sensual and rich. It ties me to a sense of time and place and fills the countryside with wonder for the few short weeks it is in flower.
If you live in this corner of the world, the South of England, now is the time to harvest hawthorn flowering tops for teas, tinctures, elixirs and anything else you fancy. It is usual to pick a little bunch of the blossom, either just before or just after opening, with the first few leaves attached, as both blossom and leaf have important medicinal constituents. The photo below shows the amount that I usually pick for drying or tincture making.
Do remember when harvesting not to over pick from a single tree and to just take a little from each one as the blossoms will become berries in the autumn which are an important source of food for the birds and other creatures, as well as being food and medicine for us. Hawthorns are pollinated by a variety of insects including solitary bees and, due to dwindling insect populations, there are said to have been declining numbers of berries in recent years. They are still abundant in most parts and we humans, without the benefit of flight, tend to pick from lower branches whilst the birds feast on higher ones but it’s always good to bear in mind how many other creatures rely on exactly the same species that are so beneficial for us.
Hawthorn flowers are often acknowledged for their benefit in treating heart conditions and are typically included in preparations alongside the berries for a range of cadiovascular and circulatory disorders ranging from angina to chilblains. This is in part due to their antioxidant content found in the form of phenolic compounds which are actually even higher in the leaves and blossoms than they are in the berries. We tend to think of antioxidants occurring mainly in highly coloured foods like berries but you can see that the colour of the tea made from the flowering tops is also rich and deeply hued after being left to infuse for fifteen minutes or so.
Though truly enjoyable when drunk as a simple, hawthorn blossom also combines with a variety of other herbs to make any number of delicious teas. Here are some of my favourites:
Spicy – Combine 2-3 flowering tops with a couple of slices of ginger and an inch of cinnamon stick to wake the circulation and protect the heart.
Floral – Hawthorn blossom is both deeply calming and nurturing when combined with rose petals and linden blossom in a beautifully heart opening brew.
Seasonally Sleepy – A few cowslips flowers along with hawthorn blossom make a great bedtime tea as mentioned in my last post.
Sensual – Hawthorn tops, rose petals and half a vanilla bean thinly sliced make for a sweet, earthy and fragrant tea.
Despite being placed firmly in the category of a ‘heart herb’ in Western herbal medicine, hawthorn has a multifaceted personality, just like so many of our herbal allies. I consider the blossoms in particular to be a primary nervine tonic as they are deeply relaxing and calming to states of anxiety and over stimulation. I like to use them alongside other nervine herbs, like avena, for people who are sensitive to everything; loud noises, strong colours, smells and sensations and need to be calmed and comforted. In 19th century France an infusion of the blossoms was used to treat insomnia and herbalist Maurice Messegue writes “I myself make use of the hawthorn for nervous spasms, arteriosclerosis, angina and obesity and it is one of my favourite tranquiliser herbs.” It therefore makes an exceptional choice in problems where the circulatory and nervous systems are both affected such as nervous palpitations, restlessness and arrhythmia.
The powerful combination of antioxidants makes hawthorn blossoms and berries good food for the immune system as well and modern research suggests they have an inhibitory effect on the breakdown of collagen, therefore aiding healing and having an all round rejuvenating effect. Hawthorn is a very safe medicine that is tolerated by almost everyone though it is of course wise to consult with a herbalist before taking it alongside medications. It has been traditionally eaten as food, the young leaves in spring salads and the berries in jams and preserves later in the year so it can be incorporated in our lives in any way that suits us best.
The blossoming of Hawthorn has long been associated with reawakening life; with spring, with fertility and with love and it leaves you with a kind of lightness of spirit that dusts away the very last of the wintery drear. These two holly blue butterflies flew along the hedgerow beside me for a time, flirting in and out of the branches and rejoicing in the return of the sunshine. And I rejoiced along with them, for the return of this most cherished of herbal medicines and dearest of friends.
A gorgeous post, Lucinda, as usual! The may isn’t blooming here yet – its been far too cold and not really sunny enough, so we only have a tiny few flowers beginning to open. As soon as they do, I plan to do a hawthorn flower infused wine, perhaps with some rose – I may swipe your rose, hawthorn and vanilla recipe actually, to make an infused wine! 😀 I did a fresh hawthorn flower tincture last year, which is one of the tastiest, most relaxing tinctures I’ve made so far – I may do a syrup this year as well as the infused wine, just to be doing something different. Oh, and I need to dry a load of the flowers as well 😀
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Can I swipe your infused wine idea and we’ll call it even? 🙂 Are you using red or white?
I’m glad you love the flower tincture too, it’s just divine isn’t it. For a long while I carried around a 30ml dropper bottle of it and used it almost like rescue remedy, just a few drops on the tongue, and I found it instantly calming and centring.
Syrup sounds good too, I haven’t made it from the flowers but they do lend themselves to it don’t they. Be sure to write a post about it when you do! x
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Stunning, great recipes too. I will enjoy trying them out. Here upon the North Downs, I too yesterday attuned; had my cherished fusion with my Hawthorn Ally. Photographs & collections, brewed some tea too. Loving the serene nourishing pleasure that is Hawthorn blossom. Must leave mine to brew for much longer as mine was a vibrant green. Maybe its because our blossom is just bursting from containment.
Gorgeous post & photographs Lucinda, thank you for sharing. Abundant Blessings, With Love .
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Mine usually starts off quite green then deepens as I leave it. I have a good tea cosy so i can leave things infusing for a while without them cooling off which is great for extracting all the goodness.
Glad you are also enjoying the wonderful hawthorn, what would we do without her?
Take care xx
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Such a beautiful post Lucinda. I loved the pink tinges on some of the blossom, showing the bees had pollinated them. Hawthorn blossom always blushes when she has been served by the bees.
I am blessed to have hawthorn dotted all through this garden. I shall be using the blossom to make a tincture………I have used it many times for palpitations.
I love the scent of hawthorn flowers…….I also love the fragrance of elder…..both are in flower in the garden, it is heady to say the least 🙂
Tku for sharing the blue butterfly, for remembering the insects and birds.
As I often say to you, my life is better just knowing you are out there 🙂
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Cheryl if you had told me you didn’t have hawthorns and elders in your garden I would have been shocked! One such as you will always be surrounded by the most magical of trees, 🙂
Our elders are not quite in flower yet, not far off but another week or two I think.
Thank you so much for your lovely words, it is good to find others who care isn’t it and you always inspire me to be more conscious in my gardening. xx
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Hi lucinda! what a beautiful post on Hawthorn, the photos are just stunning too. I have been observing more closely this year, and noticing the pink anthers, Im assuming they are all pink until they have been out for a while? then turn black? 🙂 Got a beautiful tree just over the wall as I type this, I love the smell. beautiful spring! xx
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Hey Sascha,
I’m glad you have a beautiful tree nearby to watch over you. Yes they open with the little pink bits on the anthers which turn brown quite quickly. At first I thought the pink bits were the pollen but the brown ones have lots of pollen on so I’m not quite sure why this happens.
Enjoy the magic of spring! xxx
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Ah, much hawthorn love. I’m with you on the nervine applications. I appreciate the heart aspects, but love its nervine qualities.
You left off about hawthorn helping us against vampires though. 😉
Michael
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Ha ha, don’t worry I’ve written about that before in another post!
Glad you also appreciate her nervine qualities, so often overlooked I think.
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Whew! For a moment I was worried. 😉
Michael
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What a beautiful and enlightening post. I don’t know if we grow hawthorn here. I’ll have to check it out.
What a lovely blue butterfly. I don’t think I’ve ever seen one before.
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Thank you Wendy,
Hawthorn grows in most temperate zones, where abouts are you?
The holly blue is lovely isn’t it. We had another in the garden the other day that stayed still for ages so I’ll be posting some more pictures of her soon.
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Your blog is wonderful.
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Thank you so much. Whenever I question it it is comments like yours that encourage me to keep writing.
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Beautiful and wonderful as always. I’ve been having hawthorn and rose tea every day this week, it makes me feel like my heart is wrapped in a warm blanket.
XOXO
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How perfect. I couldn’t think of a better combination.
Much love and hugs dear heart xxx
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Am also a huge fan of the smell of May blossom. We’ve been on May and Elderflower tea this week up here in Scotland, its soothing our Summertime snuffles, but I love the idea of May and Cowslip, which may have to wait for one of our trips down south, sounds gorgeous.
Beautiful photos, lovely blog x
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That sounds delicious. Here the elderflowers are only just starting now as the may blossom is fading, though my friends in London say they have been out for quite some time there.
Thanks for stopping by and your lovely comment. xx
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This was a wonderful post. I’m used to thinking of Hawthorn in a magical way, particularly as the blossom of Beltane, but now you’ve given me a whole new dimension.
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