THE FOLKLORE OF PLANTS: Hawthorn

Lisa Karen Miller

          Glastonbury, England, January 6, 1535.  The hawthorn tree at St. John the Baptist church is blooming, in the depths of winter. Thomas Cromwell, that cunning advisor to Henry VIII, sends a messenger to investigate this miracle. Two blossoms are sent as evidence to London. 

          Thus began the custom of sending the January blooms of the Glastonbury hawthorn (Crataegus) to the monarch.  Revived by Queen Mary in 1922, this tradition continues today.  

           Greeks and Romans associated it with marriage, fertility, and protection from evil. Brides and grooms wore hawthorn blossoms, and cradles were protected by its leaves. Contrarily, the flower of May was also placed under mattresses to maintain or enforce chastity.

          In Europe, it was the best tree to hide under in a lightning storm, and was often placed around the home to protect it from storm damage:

“Beware of an oak,

It draws the stroke,

Avoid an ash,

It courts a flash,

Creep under the thorn,

Twill save you from harm.”

          It symbolizes Chastity, Contradictions, Duality, and Hope. The tree is said to be sacred to fairies.  If you find a hawthorn growing close to both an ash and an oak, you will be able to see fairies there. Anyone who cuts down a fairy tree is doomed to perish.

          Its reputation took a hit after the crucifixion of Christ, as it was believed to be the tree of which His crown of thorns was fashioned. Thereafter it became associated with disease and death, and carrying its blossoms into the house brought misfortune.

          Joseph of Arimathea is said to have gone to Britain to carry the message of Christ.  After sticking his staff into the ground before going to sleep, he awoke to find it had taken root, grown, and blossomed into a hawthorn tree.

          Witches can turn themselves into hawthorns on Walpurgis Night (April 30^th), so this tree must be avoided at that time, lest they use their witchy limbs to snatch passersby. The Ferrari of witches’ rides is a hawthorn broomstick.

          It bore positive attributes as well. Dewdrops from hawthorn blossoms were a coveted beauty fluid, and men would wash their hands in it, believing it would make them more skilled in their crafts.

          It has long been regarded as an effective heart tonic, and researchers have confirmed that it can normalize blood pressure, reduce heart rate, and promote oxygen uptake.

          Look for the hawthorn on your next walk, but watch out for those witches, ghosts, and fairies.

© Copyright 2023 Lisa Karen Miller