Hawthorn Berries – A Traditional Herbal Remedy for the Heart

By Ann the Herbalist

There are few sights more familiar in the British countryside than a hawthorn hedge, its branches covered in white blossom during May and clusters of deep red berries as autumn approaches. For centuries, hawthorn has been part of our rural landscape, providing shelter for wildlife, marking field boundaries and supplying generations of herbalists with one of their most treasured traditional remedies.

Hawthorn (Crataegus monogyna) belongs to the rose family, and its small red fruits, commonly called haws, have a long history of use in traditional herbal medicine. Although the flowers and leaves are also valued, the berries have their own place in the herbalist's collection of autumn remedies.

Hawthorn Through the Ages

Hawthorn has been associated with folklore, protection and healing for hundreds of years. In Britain and Ireland, it was regarded as a special tree, closely connected with the changing seasons and the natural world.

Its flowering branches were traditionally associated with May Day celebrations, while its autumn berries were gathered for food and household preparations.

The medicinal use of hawthorn berries became particularly established in European herbal traditions, where they were valued for their association with the heart and circulation.

Traditional herbalists regarded hawthorn as a gentle, nourishing plant, particularly suited to supporting the heart over a long period rather than providing a quick remedy for an immediate complaint.

Unlike some herbs that were used for a few days during an illness, hawthorn was often regarded as something to be taken regularly, allowing its traditional benefits to develop gradually.

Traditional Benefits of Hawthorn Berries

The Heart and Circulation

Perhaps the best-known traditional use of hawthorn berries is as a heart tonic.

In European herbal practice, hawthorn was valued for helping to maintain the strength and condition of the heart, particularly as people grew older.

Herbalists traditionally used hawthorn preparations when the heart was considered weak or tired, and to encourage healthy circulation throughout the body.

Hawthorn was also associated with maintaining comfortable blood pressure and supporting the movement of blood through the smaller vessels.

It was generally regarded as a restorative herb rather than a stimulating one, making it particularly valued in traditional approaches to the gradual changes associated with ageing.

Emotional Wellbeing

Hawthorn has another longstanding association that is sometimes overlooked: its traditional connection with emotional wellbeing.

In herbal folklore, hawthorn has often been associated with the heart in both its physical and emotional senses.

Some herbal traditions have used hawthorn during periods of grief, sadness and emotional strain, particularly when these feelings were accompanied by a sense of tension or heaviness around the heart.

It was considered a comforting herb, offering gentle support during difficult emotional periods.

This traditional association between the heart and our emotions is one of the reasons hawthorn has remained such a valued plant in herbal practice.

Digestion and General Wellbeing

Although European herbalists have mainly associated hawthorn with the heart, the berries have also been used traditionally to support digestion.

In Chinese herbal medicine, hawthorn fruit, known as Shan Zha, has a particularly long history of use in preparations intended to encourage digestion, especially following rich or heavy meals.

The berries have traditionally been used to ease feelings of fullness and sluggish digestion.

This provides an interesting contrast between Eastern and Western herbal traditions, demonstrating how the same plant can develop different uses in different cultures.

Making Hawthorn Berry Tea

One of the simplest traditional ways of preparing hawthorn berries is as a tea.

Because the berries are considerably firmer than hawthorn leaves or flowers, they are often prepared as a decoction rather than a simple infusion.

A traditional method involves lightly crushing the berries, placing them in a saucepan with water and allowing them to simmer gently for approximately 15–20 minutes.

The liquid is then strained and enjoyed warm.

The resulting tea has a mild, slightly fruity flavour with a gentle tartness.

Hawthorn berry tea was traditionally taken regularly as part of a herbal routine, particularly by those wishing to support the heart and circulation.

Hawthorn Berry Oxymel

Another traditional way of preserving and preparing hawthorn berries is in an oxymel.

Oxymels are herbal preparations made using honey and vinegar, a method with roots reaching back to ancient Greek medicine.

Honey and vinegar were valued not only for their own traditional properties but also for their ability to extract and preserve certain qualities of herbs, fruits and roots.

To prepare a hawthorn berry oxymel, fresh, ripe hawthorn berries are lightly crushed and placed in a clean glass jar.

The berries are covered with a mixture of honey and apple cider vinegar, ensuring they remain beneath the liquid.

The jar is then sealed and left to infuse for several weeks, with occasional gentle shaking, before the liquid is strained and bottled.

The finished oxymel combines the fruity tartness of hawthorn with the sweetness of honey and the sharpness of vinegar.

Traditionally, oxymels could be taken by the spoonful or diluted in water to make a pleasant herbal drink.

A hawthorn oxymel offers a particularly lovely way of preserving part of the autumn harvest for use during the colder months.

To learn more about the traditional combination of herbs, honey and vinegar, explore my article Herbal Oxymels — The Benefits of Herbs, Honey and Vinegar.

A Place in the Traditional Herbal Kitchen

Hawthorn is a wonderful example of how familiar countryside plants became part of traditional household medicine.

From the hedgerows of Britain to the herbal traditions of Europe and Asia, its berries have been gathered, dried, simmered and preserved for generations.

Whether prepared as a warming tea or a rich, fruity oxymel, hawthorn berries remain an important part of our herbal heritage.

For me, this is one of the most appealing aspects of traditional herbalism: rediscovering the plants that generations before us knew so well and keeping their knowledge and methods of preparation alive.