Hawthorn Leaf & Flower
Hawthorn Berries (Crataegus oxycantha) is used for love magick, protection, fertility magic, joy and a happy home.
Hawthorn is a sacred tree in many Pagan religions. The blossoms, called May Flowers, are used in spring celebrations. The May Pole is traditionally made of hawthorn or decorated with hawthorn flowers.
As the tree is sacred to fairies, one must ask permission before taking the blooms or sprigs and must certainly leave an offering when cutting down a whole tree.
Placed around doors and windows, hawthorn will prevent people from entering your home in an astral state. It will also prevent spirits from entering a place.
Planting hawthorn around other trees, or near your home is said to protect them from lightning strikes.
Planting it as a hedge around your home will keep out unfriendly spirits.
Adding hawthorn to an amulet will protect you from spirits and harmful magic.
Correspondences
Gender/masculine
Planet/ Mars
Deity Belenus, Cardea, the White Goddess, Hymen, Maia, and Flora
Element/Fire
Whitethorn, Hazels, Gazels, Halves, Quickset, Bread-and-Cheese Tree, Albesyne, L’Epine Noble, Hagedorn, Hedgethorn, Fairy Bush, May blossom, May Bush, May Flower, Quick, Thorn, Haw, Hag Thorn, Ladies Meat, Tree of Chastity, May Tree
The botanical name Crataegus oxyacantha comes from the Greek kratos, “hardness”, oxcux, “sharp” and akantha “thorn”.In Teutonic lore, hawthorn symbolized death and was used in funeral pyres.In ancient Greece, married couples were crowned with hawthorn blossoms and the wedding party carried torches of hawthorn. The tree was also associated with Cardea, the Roman Goddess of marriage and Childbirth.During springtime festivals in England, large Hawthorn boughs were cut and stood up in the ground outside houses. They were called May Bushes and decorated with wildflowers. Although it was permissible to decorate outside with hawthorn blossoms, bringing them into the home would surely bring illness and death.This tree was considered beloved by fairies who lived within. Cutting down a Hawthorn tree is very bad luck!