PLANT PROFILE

NAME: Hawthorn

LATIN NAME / FAMILY:  Crataegus monogyna / Rosaceae

OTHER COMMON NAME(S): 

CONDITIONS: sun-partial shade
 

PORTION: small

COMMENT: Fruit - used to make jelly or as pectin for other fruits. Can be made into a sauce for cooking, or used to flavor alcohols, just ripe berries have more pectin that over-ripe berries.(2) Fruit - not very appetizing raw, it is normally used for making jams and preserves. The fruit can be dried, ground, mixed with flour and used for making bread etc. A tea is made from the dried leaves, it is a china tea substitute.(1)

CAUTION: Do not eat seeds. If an adult mistakenly eats one or two seeds they aren’t deadly but they could be to a child. Very young spring leaves — called Bread and Cheese — can be a trail side nibble as well as the flower buds or young flowers. Mature flowers should be avoided or any part that smells like almonds when crushed.(2)

NUTRITION/MEDICINAL: Antispasmodic;  Astringent;  Cardiotonic;  Diuretic;  Hypotensive;  Sedative;  Tonic;  Vasodilator.(1)

·        https://www.webmd.com/vitamins/ai/ingredientmono-527/hawthorn

·        https://draxe.com/ https://draxe.com/hawthorn-berry

LOOK-A-LIKES:  

POISONOUS LOOK-A-LIKES: 

OTHER USES:

SOURCE LINKS (may include nutritional and medicinal info, plus other uses):

1. https://pfaf.org/user/Plant.aspx?LatinName=Crataegus+monogyna
2. http://www.eattheweeds.com/?s=hawthorn  
3. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crataegus_monogyna 
4. http://www.ediblewildfood.com/common-hawthorn.aspx (good photos)