Herb of the Month:Hawthorn Crataegus oxyacanthoides

In the garden

Hawthorn blossom is also called may blossom, because it flowers in May. Hawthorn is a member of the Rose family. May is such a welcome sight it inspired the naming of the ship Mayflower. The hawthorn tree can reach a great age, and many local trees have folklore associations. It also makes a good hedging plant, well equipped with thorns to deter intruders.The berries, or haws, are now in season and edible, if not palatable.

Now for some botany: the common kind of hawthorn has one stone inside, and is called Crataegus monogyna (mono=one, gyna= seed). Another, rarer species is C. oxyacanthoides, which is the more medicinal. Either make good garden plants.

In the kitchen

Now is the time to pick and make hawthorn chutney, if you have anyone with mild heart problems.

In herbal medicine

Crataegus oxyacanthoides acts on the coronary and peripheral arteries, as a vasodilator. It regulates an irregular heart rhythm, and helps the heart muscle use oxygen in an optimal way.

Its an antioxidant, increases the resistance of capillaries and strengthens connective tissue throughout the body. What all this means is that unlike chemical medicines which either slow down an overactive heart, or speed up a sluggish one, hawthorn will help the heart normalise. It is still widely used by doctors in continental Europe as the first remedy for heart troubles, before resorting to chemical medicine.

It is useful for angina, in atherosclerosis (furring of the arteries which leads to high blood pressure), mild congestive heart failure, heart arrhythmias and high blood pressure. Its a remedy to have prescribed by a qualified medical herbalist after they have done a thorough examination of the cardiovasular system.

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