Hawthorn Tree, Crataegus flabellata, Pittsburgh, PA 2019
Last fall I happened upon a sharp, long-thorned, spindly tree bearing bright red fruit, growing atop a steep ravine that has been designated a bird sanctuary because the land is otherwise useless. This spring I revisited the tree, too late to photograph it in bloom (mental note for next year), though able to capture an image of the unripe fruit set with those infamous thorns.
The genus name of this tree comes from the Greek
kratos 'strength' because of hardiness of the wood, and
akis 'sharp' referring to its thorns. My God those thorns...reportedly native Americans in the pacific Northwest adapted them for use as fishing hooks. As for the common name,
haw comes from the Old English word for 'hedge', derived from the Anglo-Saxon
haguthorn 'fence with thorns'. I cannot stress enough how one would want to avoid these thorns, and indeed, if these low growing trees were planted densely as a hedge, most creatures would go around instead of through.
Medicinally the berries are quite remarkable in their use for many heart conditions, though care must be taken to not overdose, which should go without saying, but I cannot account for some people's lack of sensibilities. Webmd as this to say about its uses:
Hawthorn is a plant. The leaves, berries, and flowers of hawthorn are used to make medicine.
Hawthorn is used for diseases of the
heart and
blood vessels such as
congestive heart failure (CHF),
chest pain, and irregular heartbeat. It is also used to treat both
low blood pressure and
high blood pressure, “hardening of the
arteries” (
atherosclerosis), and
high cholesterol. So far, research suggests that hawthorn might be effective in treating congestive
heart failure, but there hasn’t been enough research on other heart-related uses to know if it is effective for them.
Some people use hawthorn for
digestive system complaints such as
indigestion,
diarrhea, and
stomach pain. It is also used to reduce
anxiety, as a sedative, to increase urine output, and for menstrual problems.
Hawthorn is also used to treat
tapeworm and other intestinal infections.
Some people apply hawthorn to the
skin for boils, sores, and ulcers. Hawthorn preparations are used as a wash for sores,
itching, and
frostbite.
You will find hawthorn among the ingredients in candied fruit slices, jam, jelly, and wine.
Before taking hawthorn, talk with your healthcare professional if you take any
medications. It has major interactions with several prescription medications.
How does it work?
Hawthorn can help improve the amount of blood pumped out of the heart during
contractions, widen the blood vessels, and increase the transmission of nerve signals.
Hawthorn also seems to have blood pressure-lowering activity, according
to early research. It seems to cause relaxing of the blood vessels
farther from the heart. It seems that this effect is due to a component
in hawthorn called proanthocyanidin.
Research suggests that hawthorn can lower cholesterol, low density lipoprotein (LDL, or “bad cholesterol”), and
triglycerides (fats in the blood). It seems to lower accumulation of fats in the
liver
and the aorta (the largest artery in the body, located near the heart).
Hawthorn fruit extract may lower cholesterol by increasing the
excretion of bile, reducing the formation of cholesterol, and enhancing
the receptors for LDLs. It also seems to have antioxidant activity.
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