23/08/2026
Hawthorn (Crataegus monogyna)
The Heart of the Hedgerow
We know it as Whitethorn, May Tree and sceach gheal. It grows so abundantly through our Irish countryside that it is easy to forget just how remarkable Hawthorn really is.
For centuries it has been associated with the heart and circulation, but its story reaches much further than herbal medicine.
In my new Herbal Medicine Library article, I explore Hawthorn from several perspectives: its botany and identification, leaves, flowers and haws, traditional herbal use, modern cardiovascular research, Irish folklore, harvesting and preparation, safety and interactions, and its enormous ecological importance within our hedgerows.
I also take a closer look at an important question: what does modern research actually tell us about the traditional “heart herb”?
This is not a quick list of supposed herbal benefits. It is a deeper look at the whole plant, bringing together traditional herbal knowledge, modern research, nursing perspective and the living Irish landscape in which Hawthorn has grown for generations.
🌿 Now available in the Holistic Healthcare Wexford Herbal Medicine Library
👉 Read the full article:
https://holistichealthcarewexford.com/2026/08/23/hawthorn-crataegus-monogyna/
Holistic Healthcare Wexford
Integrative · Mindful · Patient-Centred
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Hawthorn (Crataegus monogyna): The Heart of the Hedgerow Explore Hawthorn (Crataegus monogyna), its traditional uses, cardiovascular research, Irish folklore, harvesting, preparations, safety and e…