It's harvest time for hawthorn berries or haws. They're fibrous, somewhat bitter, and best without seeds. These berries may have a natural wax and yeast coating, which can be cleaned by soaking in white vinegar if you wish. Seek out trees situated in sunny, open areas. If they are congested among other trees and lack direct sunlight, the haws may become infested with worms.
Harvesting will continue until it gets too cold. The trees harvested from, one shown here, are native Crataegus, not cultivars. Cultivars are commonly seen here as street trees, with haws being mostly seed with little pulp. They do look beautiful lining a street with snow piled on the bright red haws!
The haws are edible, and some individuals create ketchup from them. I've created a spicy paste for enhancing the flavor of slow-cooked roasts. Many people enjoy them in tea. Both the leaves and haws are usable. The leaves are best collected in early summer, along with some blossoms that also have medicinal uses.
The seeds should be avoided and can be strained out after cooking. They contain amygdalin, which can change to cyanide in the gut. A few won't hurt you but it's better not to chance it.
Hawthorn is rich in flavonoids (more than 60) which act as antioxidants and anti-inflammatories. These can be found in not just the berries, but also in the leaves and flowers. It is thought that hawthorn helps strengthen the heart so that it beats strongly but slowly.
Hawthorn is well-known as a remedy for cardiovascular problems. The mechanism of action of hawthorn pulp in treating chronic heart failure is thought to be downregulation of caspase resulting in stabilization of apoptosis. It simply means that old and dead cells are dismantled while healthy ones are untouched. Unregulated apoptosis can result in carcinogenesis, autoimmunity, neurodegeneration, and immunodeficiency. Hawthorn is cardioprotective and can help regulate blood pressure and lipid levels. It is believed to help the heart muscle beat strongly, but slowly. Hawthorn can interact with prescribed heart medications. Be sure to talk to your doctor and pharmacist about it if you are on medicine for a heart condition.
In New England, where I grew up, we called this tree Thornapple. All of us free-range children learned to be careful running through unexplored woods! The thorns can be 5 inches long and as hard as nails. Running into one is not something you'd want to repeat!