According to popular folklore, the hawthorn flower ‘marks the entrance to the other world’ and has an association with fairies. The plant derives its name from the old English word ‘haw’ which means ‘hedge’ and ‘hawthorn’ means ‘thorny hedge’.

Hawthorn can be found throughout Africa, Europe, and Asia. This deciduous plant of the rose family grows very rapidly and is sometimes used as hedgerow. Hawthorn has a number of different species due to hybridization and its appearance also changes with every variety. It can be a shrub or a small tree with dense foliage. The tree bears white flowers with five petals and many stamens, each with pink coloured tips. The flowers blossom from May to early June and have a mild fragrance. In the later part of the year the plant produces many tiny red oval shaped berry-like fruits called ‘haws’.

Hawthorns are planted as hedges mostly in cultivated lands. In addition to this, hawthorn is a noted name in herbal therapy, since the flowers are rich in tannin and purine derivatives and the fruits contain tannins, vitamins and minerals. Hawthorn flowers are an important source of essential oils. Moreover, the leaves are used in salads and the fruits are made into jellies and wine.