Haw Tree

I found this old hawthorn tree growing out of a stone wall on the edge of a field. It was very twisted and gnarled. I particularly liked the lichens growing on its branches and its bright red upright berries.

Hawthorn is extensively used as a hedging plant - 'haw' being thought to mean ' hedge'. In legend the hawthorn is associated with fertility with marriages being conducted next to it or bunches of hawthorn flowers being carried in wedding processions.

The hawthorn also contains chemicals with sedative, anti-spasmodic, and diuretic properties and so it can be used to help people with heart and blood pressure problems, and with insomnia.

In Scotland hawthorn bark was traditionally used to dye wool black. Its leaves can be used to make tea and its flowers used to create a hawthorn syrup.