How To Use Hawthorn Berries – Planting in autumn or in spring is best for hawthorn, but, for all shrubs, the ideal period is always fall.
Choosing to plant in the fall makes root development possible before winter, and growth in the spring will be stronger.
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How To Use Hawthorn Berries
Hawthorn is very easy to care for, and requires little attention when it is properly settled.
Ways Hawthorn Berry Improves Heart Health
Pruning hawthorn is not necessary unless it is part of a hedge. If so, you need to trim it regularly.
Often used in defensive hedges, the hawthorn is much more than that, as it has decorative leaves and blooms profusely, making it a very beautiful tree.
Both hardy and easy to care for, this tree will also give you satisfaction as it will adapt to the soil and climate where you live.
The leaves take on different colors from spring to autumn, and the beautiful berries will adorn your hawthorn from late summer to early winter.
Hawthorn Berry Health Benefits And How To Use
Although they are edible, hawthorn berries taste bland and fleshy when raw, but birds go wild about them.
If you need to keep people out of your yard, use hawthorn because the thorns are the real thing!
(all edits by Gaspard Lorthiois): Lots of hawthorn berries (also on social media) by Christel Funk under a Pixabay license Blooming hawthorn by Les Whalley under a Pixabay license Some berries on a hawthorn by Michaela under a Pixabay license Leaves and fruit (also on social media) by Rosalyn & Gaspard Lorthiois, own work Hawthorn grows as a shrub and tree throughout North America, Europe and Asia. As a member of the Rosaceae (rose) family, it protects itself with sharp thorns. Hawthorn has a somewhat neglected medicinal secret: Hawthorn berries, packed with both sweetness and tartness. From heart tonic to anxiety relief, here are five health benefits of hawthorn berries.
In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), Hawthorn berries are known as heart tonics, and recent research shows that this “fire berry” is cardioprotective.
Hawthorn Berries Berry
A 2018 study published by the NIH National Library of Medicine names hawthorn berries as a cardiotonic herb. Hawthorn berries contain phytonutrients (anthocyanidins and proanthocyanidins), antioxidants that strengthen and strengthen blood vessel walls. This plant provides positive inotropic and negative chronotropic effects as well as an increase in coronary blood flow and exercise tolerance.
Hawthorn extracts including berries, leaves and flowers are also used to treat heart conditions such as bradyarrhythmia and angia, according to a 2016 report published in
. However, hawthorn can generally increase the potential for bleeding in patients taking antiplatelet agents or anticoagulants.
Should you take hawthorn berries for palpitations? Although hawthorn berries have been proven to be cardiotonic, consult your doctor before including this herb in your treatment regimen, including extracts or teas.
Hawthorn: A Little Known Super Fruit
Hawthorn berries contain fiber, a digestive aid that acts as a prebiotic to reduce constipation. Prebiotics encourage and foster the growth of good gut bacteria that are essential for a healthy digestive system.
Hawthorn (its berries, leaves and flowers) has been found to be helpful in the treatment of gastrointestinal ailments and other digestive problems, according to a 2015 critical review published in
Which analyzed 88 scientific papers. Studies show that hawthorn presents useful applications for the treatment of stomach pain, diarrhea, distension and indigestion. The paper notes its use as an effective diuretic in European tradition.
Hawthorn berry is listed as a natural ingredient in some hair care and hair growth products, but does it work? In the past, hawthorn berries have shown promise in stimulating the growth and size of hair follicles in mice. The polyphenol content in this berry is believed to cause this effect. However, further studies on the effects in humans are needed.
Hunter Gathering: Wild & Fresh Food: The Strange Properties Of Hawthorn
How do you use hawthorn berries in your hair? Many people prefer to include hawthorn berries in their diet, such as making hawthorn berry syrup for pancakes and absorbing nutrients that way. Others invest in over-the-counter natural hair care products such as hawthorn berry butter or tonic.
David Hoffmann, BSc, founding member and past president of the American Herbalists Guild, recommends making a tea by steeping a teaspoon of hawthorn berries in a cup of hot water and then straining them before consuming. He advises not to exceed three cups a day. A consultation with an herbalist can give you more guidance, but you should first talk to your doctor about using such complementary treatments.
Free radicals are unstable atoms linked to aging, chronic disease and cancer. A 2015 scientific literature review of 88 papers published in
States that hawthorn berries contain large amounts of polyphenols, antioxidant compounds that fight free radicals. Apart from the antioxidant capacity of polyphenol compounds, they also protect against inflammation and other markers for chronic diseases.
The Red Fruits Of The Hawthorn Hawthorn Berries High Res Stock Photo
Hawthorn extract may contain compounds from the berries, flowers and leaves of the hawthorn plant that help reduce anxiety. An older double-blind study was published in
Analyzed a formulation of hawthorn extract, California poppy, and magnesium and its effects on 264 people with anxiety. Results showed a significant reduction in mild to moderate levels of anxiety compared to placebo. However, the specific role played by hawthorn has not been analyzed in depth.
The NIH’s National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health also notes the promotion of hawthorn for use in the treatment of anxiety.
Hawthorn berry supplements often contain berries, flowers and leaves. The NIH National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health indicates that the most common side effects of taking hawthorn may include nausea, dizziness and digestive symptoms. Those taking anticoagulants should avoid taking hawthorn.
Food For Free: How To Make Hawthorn Jelly
Always consult your doctor or registered dietitian before adding any supplements to your diet. Many products have different dosage recommendations, and your healthcare provider can best direct you because they know your medical history.
Tiffany Chaney is an environmental and health writer dedicated to advocacy, ethics and transparency. Chaney holds a BA in creative writing from Salem College and completed an apprenticeship in western herbalism and Traditional Chinese Medicine at Tree of Life Wellness Center and Piedmont School of Herbs in Winston-Salem, NC. She is also a published writer and creative artist, currently living in Virginia. Harvesting hawthorn berries is a new one for me this year. It’s sweet and mild if you get it at the right time, and in years past I’ve tasted it too early in the fall. This year, Washington hawthorn is sweet and tender in late October. But at that time, the single-seeded hawthorn began to rot, so next year I will look for it in mid-October.
I am indebted to Josh Fecteau’s recent hawthorn post, which inspired me to try hawthorn berries again. As Josh mentioned, there are many species of hawthorn, maybe 50 in New England. And, across North America, perhaps a thousand species, according to George Symonds (from his impressive book Tree Identification Book : A New Method for the Practical Identification and Recognition of Trees
, my favorite guide to learning tree ID). Fortunately, you don’t need to be able to identify a specific species. You just need to know it’s a hawthorn, because all hawthorns have edible berries. HOWEVER, like apple seeds, hawthorn seeds contain cyanide, and should not be eaten. Don’t panic; just spit out the seed.
Essential Health Benefits Of Hawthorn Berry
Why bother with hawthorn? It is a beautiful, attractive and delicious wild food with known health benefits. Some people use the berries to make hawthorn jelly, but I have yet to try this. The berries, leaves and flowers can be used to make tea. Scroll to the bottom of the page to see how I make hawthorn berry extract.
I will describe two species here, to give examples of general characteristics. That should help you recognize a hawthorn when you see one, but i
If you are not sure that you have hawthorn when foraging, please check with additional sources until you are SURE, before eating the berries.
These grow as small trees or large shrubs, and produce clusters of white flowers in late spring. Berries turn red in September (here), but sweet later. By October 31st, it’s sweet, and maybe a little over the top. Each berry has 3-5 seeds.
Glistening Hawthorn Berries
The leaves are lobed and toothed, as you can see in my photo above. Many other hawthorn species have similar leaves. The tree is armed with long thorns, up to about 3 inches in length. However, with reasonable care, you can easily harvest the berries, which tend to hang from the branches. It’s easier this season after many of the leaves have fallen and no longer obscure the thorns.
Also called common hawthorn, this is a European native that has escaped cultivation and naturalized in North America. It’s sometimes branded an invasive plant, but I don’t see it very often, and when I do, it’s not a lot in one area. Maybe it’s invasive in other parts of the country, but it doesn’t seem that aggressive here. Like Washington hawthorn, single-seeded hawthorn grows as a shrub or small tree, and produces clusters of white flowers in late spring. The oblong red berries ripen slightly earlier (than Washington hawthorn) in the fall and contain one seed