Unlocking the Power of Hawthorn: February's Herbal Ally for Heart Health

February is Heart Health Month and is celebrated to raise awareness about heart disease and to promote cardiovascular health. Heart disease is a leading cause of death, so throughout the month, people are encouraged to focus on their heart health through lifestyle changes, such as eating a healthy diet, exercising, and managing stress. So, let’s explore Hawthorn – our wonderful herbal ally for February.

Hawthorn - February’s Herbal Ally

Hawthorn Flowers and Berries

Botanical Information

Hawthorn (Crataegus) is a plant of the rose family (Rosaceae) and is widely grown throughout the world as a medicinal and edible plant. Hawthorn is a shrub or small tree known for its thorny branches, white or pink flowers, and red berries called “haws”. Hawthorn is native to temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere, such as Europe, North Africa, West Asia, and North America.

Hawthorn’s History

Hawthorn has a long, interesting history in folklore and medicine. It was associated with love, protection, and the heart.

• It was often planted near homes to ward off evil spirits.

• In Celtic tradition, Hawthorn was linked to the fairy folk and considered a gateway to the spirit world.

• In ancient Greco-Roman wedding ceremonies, Hawthorn was seen as a symbol of love, fertility, and new beginnings.

• In Serbia and Croatia, Hawthorn stakes were used to slay vampires.

Hawthorn Tree

Hawthorn’s Health Benefits

Medicinally, its use dates to at least the first century, with early accounts of its cardiovascular benefits. In ancient and traditional Indian practices, such as Ayurveda, Hawthorn was used as a powerful cardiac tonic, balancing Vata and Kapha doshas to support heart health, improve circulation, stabilize blood pressure, and calm stress-related heart issues like anxiety-induced tachycardia. So, Hawthorn is used to support the heart, with potential benefits for conditions like angina, atherosclerosis, and heart failure. Hawthorn berries are rich in flavonoids, which may help increase blood and oxygen supply to the heart. It’s a strong cardiac tonic, calms the heart, thins the blood, increases vasodilation, helps reduce blood pressure and is a vessel tonic. The flowers, leaves and berries of this plant are used. Hawthorn is even used in veterinary medicine for animal heart issues.

Hawthorn is also used to relieve anxiety and to promote sleep. It can be combined with honey and used as a digestive aid.

Caution: Consult with your physician first if taking heart medication, including blood thinners, cholesterol lowering medications, and diuretics.

Hawthorn Recipes

Herbal candies rolled in rose petals

Hawthorn Herbal Candy with Rose Petals

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup tahini (or use peanut butter, cashew butter, almond butter or sunflower butter)

• 4 teaspoons of sweetener such as honey, rice syrup, or maple syrup

• 2 tablespoons of powdered Hawthorn berries, leaves, and/or flowers. If you don’t have powdered herbs, grind the cut and sifted leaves and flowers in a coffee grinder that you use only for herbs. This probably won't work for the berries because they're too hard.

• Crushed rose petals to roll herbal balls in – about 3 tablespoons.

Directions

• If your rose petals aren't crushed, add them to a coffee grinder that you use only for herbs (or your herbs will taste like coffee) and pulse a few times. Spread the crushed rose petals on a flat dish and set aside.

• Combine tahini with sweetener in a bowl.

• Blend in powdered herbs until everything is mixed well.

• Take a teaspoonful of candy mixture and roll it into a ball. Continue until you have about 10-12 herbal balls.

• Roll each herbal ball into the rose petals.

• Store candy in an air-tight container with lid; and you can refrigerate them for longer shelf-life.

Hawthorn Berry Elixir

An elixir is an herbal extract that is sweetened with honey.  Elixirs have a long history in herbal tradition – it was how people took their medicine back in the day.  The herb is infused in honey and alcohol for a month, then strained and bottled. 

Ingredients & Equipment

• 1/2 cup hawthorn berries (you may also use the flowers and leaves)

• 1 cup 80 proof alcohol, such as brandy or vodka

• 1 cup honey

• Pint-size mason jar with lid

• Strainer

• Pot

• Cheesecloth

• Amber round bottles with droppers or caps

• Small funnel

• Labels

Directions

• Place hawthorn berries in a spice grinder or coffee grinder that you use only for herb work; and grind them a few times. The dried berries are hard so they won't cut up much, but this will break them up a little bit. Place berries (and leaves and flowers if using) in a mason jar.

• Add in alcohol.

• Pour in honey.

Hawthorn berries in mason jar with alcohol and honey

• Place cap on the mason jar, label the jar, and shake.

• Place mason jar in cupboard and shake it, or turn it, every day.

• After 2-4 weeks, place mason jar in a pot with water. Heat up the water, making the elixir less viscous (but don’t boil – that will destroy the honey’s benefits).

• Place a strainer over a pot and line the strainer with cheesecloth.

• Pour the warmed elixir into the strainer and let the liquid drip through to the pan. 

• Pour liquid into the amber round bottles through a small funnel, place the caps on the bottles and tighten or add droppers in the bottles and tighten.

• Label the jars.

• You'll have about 12 ounces of elixir.

How to Use Your Elixir

Elixirs can be taken alone, drizzled over fruit or other food, or added to a cup of tea. Take a dropperful directly in your mouth 2-3 times daily, or add it to a cup of tea, such as hawthorn tea.

Check out my shop - I have a Hawthorn Tincture and a Hawthorn Elixir.

Happy Heart Health Month!