Hawthorn (Crateagus laevitaga) is one of my favorite plants. It radiates heart supporting magnificence in ways that are powerful, yet gentle. It is a cardiotonic, diuretic, astringent, and hypotensive herb.
Hawthorn is a tree that can grow up to 30 feet in height and often grows in hardiness zones 4-8. It blooms in late May/early June for about 7 to 10 days. It produces abundant fruit (berries), which are eaten by birds and mammals. It’s flowers also produce important nectar for bees and insects.
The Hawthorn Tree is one tied to magical enchantment. It is associated with Beltane. It symbolizes love and protection. It is no wonder that Hawthorn is one of the best heart and cardiac system tonic herbs.
Hawthorn is nurturing and supportive to all afflictions of the heart.
Physically it is one of the best cardiotonic herbs and is incredibly supportive to the cardio system in an apoptogenic way. This means that it has a “normalizing” effect upon the heart, neither depressing or stimulating it’s activity. It adapts to how it is needed.
Hawthorn “Moves the heart to normal function in a gentle way.” (from Holistic Herbal by Hoffman).
Hawthorn helps to keep the heart in healthy condition and reduces the risk of “dis-ease”.
Traditionally berries were used medicinally, however, many herbalists use the whole plant, which would also include leaf and flower. It can be taken as a water infusion (Tea) or as a tincture.
Hawthorn also works on supporting emotional and spiritual aspects and tendrils stemming from and to the heart. It helps bring ease to emotional wounds/imprints that involve the heart.
As a Flower Essence, Hawthorn helps to dissolve anger and encourage self love, while also bringing balance to the physical heart.
I encourage you to work with Hawthorn. There is always involvement of the heart present in most every experience we have. Hawthorn helps to support a more heart based perception, while also physically supporting it’s health.
As an infusion (tea)
Pour 2 cups of water that has just reached it’s boiling point over 2 teaspoons of hawthorn berries. Let infuse for 20 minutes. Drink 3x a day over a long period of time.
As an extract (tincture) of berry, flower, & leaf
Recommended 2.5 ml, 3x daily (Per Medical Herbalism by David Hoffman)
I also encourage experiamenting with very minute amounts of extracts, used in a similar fashion to flower essences. 1-3 drops at a time to help support subtle shifts to the etheric body, which in turn helps to bring realignment.
As a Flower Essence
3 drops in a small amount of water 2x daily.
*Hawthorn should be used with caution by individuals using certain pharmaceutical medications, such as beta blockers, and calcium channel blockers.
Comments