Berry lady what. Hawthorn: lady-tree

At one time it was considered a symbol of death and misfortune. According to ancient legend, the crown of thorns of Jesus was woven from the thorns of the Hawthorn tree.

On the other hand, the same Hawthorn thorns were considered the strongest amulet against evil spirits.

There are many legends in villages about the appearance of the bush.

According to one legend, Hawthorn appeared at the request of birds for protection from predators. Tits and sparrows could easily hide in thorny thickets of bushes, while birds of prey could not do this.

Hawthorn names

It is believed that once upon a time there lived a noble noblewoman. Famed for her virtue towards the common people, she lived to a ripe old age.

When her time came, the peasants went to the local witch to ask for the eternal life of the noblewoman. In response to this request, the sorceress turned the noblewoman into an unusual bush.

This is how Hawthorn appeared - a real storehouse of health. So the noblewoman found a new eternal life and continued her virtuous path.

The Latin name of the tree "cratas" means "strong and strong" and has roots in the Greek language.

Where does Hawthorn grow?

In the wild, Hawthorn grows on the edges of sparse dry forests, in clearings, and sometimes near rivers. Rarely found in the depths of the forest.

Hawthorn is mainly used as a medicinal and ornamental plant, therefore it is cultivated in gardens, squares, and parks.

The shrub is widespread in the northern hemisphere. Hawthorn is unpretentious in soil conditions, so it grows everywhere.

The shrub is frost-resistant, so in the severe cold of winter, the red, yellow and brown berries of the Hawthorn continue to save birds and other living creatures from hunger.

There are 1250 species of Hawthorn, 15 of which grow in our country.

What does Hawthorn look like?

Basically, Hawthorn is a tall multi-stemmed shrub, however, there are also full-fledged trees up to 10-12 meters high.

It has a dense and spreading crown, brown bark with cracks, and shiny leaves. Many types of shrubs have spines up to 12 cm long.

In spring, Hawthorn blooms thickly, making it an excellent honey plant.

Hawthorn fruits look like small apples, and can be quite large in species such as 'Soft Hawthorn'. There is so much pulp in it that healthy purees, jams and jams are made from the fruits.

The fruits can have different colors: yellow, orange, red and even black.

When does Hawthorn bloom?

Hawthorn flowers bloom in spring or early summer. When flowering, Hawthorn emits an unpleasant odor that attracts all kinds of insects.

The shrub begins to bear fruit at the age of 5-6 years and can live up to 300 years.

Hawthorn “apples of paradise” appear in August or September depending on the region and weather conditions.

Medicinal properties of Hawthorn

Thanks to its unusual composition, Hawthorn has taken a special place in folk and modern medicine. The composition of the fruit includes microelements and substances such as copper, potassium, zinc, iron, calcium, cobalt, molybdenum, tannins and pectin.

In addition, the fruits are rich in vitamin C, carotene, riboflavin, thiamine and other substances.

The fruits of Hawthorn bring the greatest benefit to blood vessels and the heart. Previously, in the 40s, it was used as a medicine for heart diseases. In modern medicine, a huge number of drugs based on Hawthorn fruits have been developed.

By helping to reduce the bioelectrical activity of the cerebral cortex, Hawthorn calms the nervous system, has a sedative effect, reduces the excitability of the nervous system, and helps normalize sleep.

Recent studies have proven the effectiveness of Hawthorn fruits in the fight against leukemia and other cancers.

Applications of Hawthorn

In addition to its medicinal purposes, Hawthorn is used as a protective planting in gardens and parks.

The fruits of the bush are also used in the confectionery industry. The dried fruits are ground and added to baking flour, which gives the dough a fruity flavor.

Hawthorns are a large group of shrubs and small trees, including more than two thousand species. Most of them grow in North America. There are about eighty species of trees in the territory of Eurasia, among which the most common are common, blood-red, thorny and single-pistillate. The beneficial properties and contraindications of hawthorn are determined by traditional and official medicine.

Features of hawthorn

The name of the crop translated from Greek means “strong,” which fully characterizes the structural features of compact trees. They have dense, hard bark, durable wood, and rarely break even during strong winds and storms.

In Europe, they were cultivated as an ornamental crop, so trees are often found in parks and squares. Their popularization began in the nineteenth century, although they have been found in the wild in Europe for centuries. According to some sources, common hawthorn appeared in the Mesozoic era.

Description

Shrubs usually grow to three to five meters, trees reach a height of ten to twelve meters. Their trunks are protected by dense gray or brown bark, which, as the tree matures, begins to peel off in small plates and becomes covered with cracks.

The crown is formed elliptical, spherical or asymmetrical, the latter is typical for shrubs. Old branches are straight and strong, young shoots are delicate green or brown, soft, shiny. Sparse hairs are observed on young shoots, which disappear over time. The thorns grow on branches that are two years old or older. They are small, rarely exceed four centimeters in length, are located infrequently, and on some plant species, for example, in the hawthorn monopistillate, they are absent altogether.

Hawthorns are distinguished by the type of crown and type of leaves. Blood red hawthorn has ovate leaves with a sharp apex and a wedge-shaped base. Spiny is distinguished by the blunt shape of its leaves. Flowering also occurs at different times, but depends on the climate zone in which the crop grows. In warm regions, flowering begins as early as May, in cooler regions it occurs in June.

The formation of inflorescences occurs on a limited surface of the crown - only on young side shoots of the current year. The prickly species blooms sparsely, the blood-red variety blooms in more frequent inflorescences. The flowers are small, up to one and a half centimeters in size, white or pinkish. The flowering period is limited, ranging from three to eight days, after which the color fades.

In September, the fruits ripen - miniature “apples” in the shape of an ellipse or ball of deep red or brown color. The diameter of the “berries” rarely exceeds one centimeter, the pulp is loose and mealy.

Geography of distribution

The culture prefers a temperate and subtropical climate, which limits the region of its growth. But where the climatic conditions are suitable, hawthorn is common. On the Eurasian continent, the bulk of plantings remain on the territory of Belarus. In Russia, hawthorns grow in the Caucasus and Crimea, where they are represented by wild, often thorny species.

It prefers well-moistened soils, so it often settles on the banks of natural reservoirs. It inhabits wooded areas where a river flows or a lake has formed. The shrub grows in the undergrowth of sparse forests in flat areas, forming bush thickets. The tree prefers to live separately from representatives of its species.

Collection and preparation

The medicinal properties of hawthorn are associated with valuable substances contained in its flowers. They are recommended to be collected at the very beginning of flowering, while the buds are still closed. Otherwise, during storage, the raw materials will crumble into dust, leaving only the stalks and twigs.

Dry and sunny weather is suitable for collection. Flowers are picked by hand or cut using pruners or scissors. The resulting raw materials are laid out on newspapers and dried in a warm room, the temperature in which should be at least forty degrees. If dryers are used, set the temperature to seventy degrees. Completely dried flowers retain the healing properties of hawthorn throughout the year.

The fruits are harvested in September - in the middle or end of the month. Only fully ripened berries with soft contents are collected. During harvesting, the stalk is separated, rotten and damaged fruits are sifted out so as not to spoil the quality raw materials. A warm, ventilated room is better suited for drying; heating the berries is not advisable, since the heating process destroys the vitamins in the raw materials.

The medicinal properties of hawthorn depend on the age of the raw material. Herbalists recommend using the collected flowers and fruits within one year or one winter. During long-term storage, the benefits of raw materials are reduced, so hawthorn is harvested annually.

Composition and properties

The question of how hawthorn is useful has been thoroughly studied by modern medicine. The culture refers to medicinal raw materials, harvested in industrial quantities for the purpose of producing pharmaceuticals - tincture and liquid extract of hawthorn.

The composition of raw materials differs between flowers and fruits.

• Flowers. Contains flavaniodes, the volume of which decreases as the buds open. Their maximum number is observed in newly emerged inflorescences. Flavonoids are a class of plant compounds whose value lies in their ability to strengthen the walls of blood vessels and improve the functioning of the cardiovascular system. Chlorogenic and caffeic acids, which have an antioxidant effect, are also found in the flowers.
• Fruit. The medicinal properties of hawthorn fruits, contrary to popular belief, are much less attractive to herbalists than the properties of the flowers. Organic acids, sugars and vitamins are found in the fruits. The vitamin C content of up to one hundred milligrams per hundred grams of berry weight allows us to recommend them as a dietary, general health supplement. The fruit also contains beta-carotene, vitamin K, a small amount of anthocyanins and flavonoids. As the fruit matures, the volume of flavonoids increases and the amount of vitamin C decreases. An important component of fruits is the presence of pectin substances in them, which have gelling ability. This quality of hawthorn berries is used in folk medicine to normalize intestinal function during diarrhea.

Currently, treatment with hawthorn is recommended by official medicine in the treatment of cardiovascular diseases: angina pectoris, weakness of the heart muscle, atherosclerosis, high cholesterol levels and the risk of formation of cholesterol plaques.

Use in folk medicine

In the nineteenth century, the American physician Alvarez Walter Clement called hawthorn the most valuable discovery of the century. During this period, numerous studies were carried out with experiments on animals and practice on patients, which made it possible to accurately characterize the pharmacological effects of drugs and contraindications of hawthorn.

So Dr. Clement used a tincture of the drug to relieve angina attacks. At a time when established drugs did not have a positive effect, an experimental remedy from hawthorn completely relieved patients from pain during angina attacks.

Another American doctor, N. Janing, published the results of his own practice using hawthorn in 1896. In them, he pointed out the positive effect of the drug on women and men in the treatment of heart disease with an accompanying calming effect.

During the Soviet period, studies conducted on rabbits revealed another significant effect of hawthorn treatment. Experimental animals were injected with cholesterol, which caused the rabbits to go bald, and there was a tendency to blockage of the aorta. In animals that were simultaneously given hawthorn tincture, these processes occurred with much less intensity, which allowed scientists to draw a valuable conclusion. Preparations based on this medicinal raw material lower cholesterol levels, thereby reducing the risk of blockage of blood vessels.

Thus, the main aspects of the use of hawthorn in the treatment of heart and vascular diseases were formulated.

• The remedy from the flowers has a cardiotonic effect and regulates blood circulation. It is especially recommended to use hawthorn during pregnancy, in elderly patients, and in menopausal women with severe cardiac neuroses, neuralgia, and atherosclerosis.
• An infusion of fruits has an astringent and tonic effect. Increases immunity, improves the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract, enriches the body with antioxidant substances. Can be used at any age, in the diet of children and adults as a general tonic.

There are no contraindications for hawthorn, nor any harm to patients of any group. French academician, doctor Nikolai Leclerc, based on twenty years of practice in using the product, argued that even with long-term use it does not harm the body. He recommended it, among other things, to patients suffering from kidney failure.

According to N. Leclerc, an overdose of alcohol tincture is possible only when taking a dose of more than one hundred drops. In this case, there were signs of central nervous system slowing.

Traditional medicine offers simple recipes on how to brew hawthorn, recommendations on how to drink it as a medicinal and tonic.

Tincture for tachycardia

Can be used to improve heart function, and also as a sedative for neuroses and insomnia. Recommended for menopause to normalize the functioning of the cardiovascular system.

Preparation

1. Place hawthorn flowers in a thermos. Use two tablespoons.
2. Pour four hundred milliliters of boiling water.
3. Leave for one hour, strain.

This infusion should be taken one third of a glass three times a day.

Alcohol tincture

Herbalist Andrey Varenikov advises using fresh hawthorn flower for this tincture. It is suitable for the treatment of all heart diseases, lowers cholesterol levels and has a calming effect.

Preparation

1. Fill the jar to the top with flowers. Don't compact it.
2. Fill with vodka above the level of the flowers.
3. Seal tightly and place in a dark place.
4. Insist for two weeks.

Take one teaspoon of the product three times a day.

Tonic tea

For a healthy drink, you can use dried and fresh fruits. It improves immunity, normalizes the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract, and has a healing effect.

Preparation

1. Pour berries into a thermos at the rate of a tablespoon per hundred milliliters of liquid.
2. Pour boiling water over it.
3. Close the lid and leave for one hour.

You cannot make tea from hawthorn fruits. During the boiling process, all useful substances are destroyed.

The use of hawthorn in folk medicine is a common and fruitful practice. Homemade infusions of flowers with water and vodka are not inferior in productivity to pharmacological drugs. The use of fruits in the treatment of heart disease is less effective. However, you can use them to prepare a tasty, tonic drink that will support the immune system during the cold season.

Common hawthorn is a deciduous shrub that lives for about 350-400 years. This variety is the most famous in Europe. The plant is spoken of in many legends, tales and songs. In European cities, it is often planted as a hedge, because it will not only help make the area more beautiful, but will also save you from city dust.

Prefers to grow in forest-steppe and forest. He will like the edges, scree, river valleys and open forests, where the hawthorn will be located next to other shrubs. It also feels comfortable in humid climates. In the wild it is found in Asia and Europe, in the Urals and the Caucasus, in Eastern and Western Siberia. You can often hear other names: lady-tree or glod (glade).

Common hawthorn description

hawthorn flowers

Quite a tall shrub with an asymmetrical appearance. As a rule, its height reaches about 8 meters, but there are trees of about 12 meters. Old shoots are gray in color, while young branches are olive brown or red brown. Newly grown stems are slightly pubescent, but as they mature the shoots become bare. Hawthorn spines are 25 mm thorns covering its branches. Bushes grown in the garden have fewer thorns.

red hawthorn fruits

The upper part of the leaves is rich green, while the lower part has a lighter shade. Erect, sparse white or pink inflorescences include flowers with wide sepals. Flowers begin to bloom in April-May. During this period, the tree has many similarities with an apple tree, whose flowers are slightly larger than those of a hawthorn. If you have ever been near a flowering bush, you have probably caught the emanating aroma of stale fish. This is because the inflorescences contain a chemical called dimethylamine.

As soon as flowering is completed, ovoid or spherical fruits of bright red or red-brown color begin to form. There are varieties with white or yellow berries. The ripening process ends from September to October. You can get the maximum number of fruits only when the bush has lived for about 10 years.

From the collected fruits you can cook compotes, jams and preserves, and also grind them with sugar. In addition, you can make a powder from dried berries, which is usually added to flour when making fruit bread.

Varieties and types of hawthorn

There are many different varieties that can be planted in the garden.

Among them it is worth noting:

• Spiny or common Crataegus laevigata

One of the most popular species used by gardeners. The height of the variety can reach up to 10 meters.

flowering of the common subspecies

Hanging stems form a wide crown. In young representatives, the shoots are painted in a reddish-brick color, but after they mature over time, the stems become ashen. The bark of young branches is still used today to naturally dye fabric a bright scarlet color.

All the branches have thorns, the size of which reaches 1.8 cm; they are so strong that in ancient times they were used instead of nails to connect something. Quite large leaves are colored deep green. Large flowers are collected in umbrella-shaped inflorescences. Prickly hawthorn is a representative of excellent plant honey plants. Honey collected from flowers is very aromatic and full of beneficial properties; people who are watching their excess weight and dieting can even eat it a little at a time.

This variety rarely pleases its owners with fruits, which, as a rule, if they appear, are only at the end of fine summer days or the beginning of autumn. If you are interested in when common hawthorn blooms in the Moscow region, then it is worth noting that the process begins at the same time as for similar varieties in other regions of the country, namely: the last days of the passing spring.

• Morden Toba

This species never bears fruit, but this does not mean that it does not attract others with its beauty. The fact is that hawthorn The toba is decorated with beautiful flowers that change color. This way you can enjoy rich pink and then completely snow-white inflorescences. Also, you will hardly see any thorns on the bush, but you will be able to enjoy the dark green, shiny leaves. Due to its unusual nature, this species can be confused with evergreen trees.

• Blood red or Siberian boyarka

Variety Toba

The height can reach up to 4 meters. On the trunk there are rare, but quite large spines, growing up to 5 cm. Flowering begins in May or June and lasts only 4 days. In addition, during this process you will not be able to enjoy a pleasant aroma, because this type is characterized by the smell of stale seafood.

The tree bears fruit with sour 10 cm berries, which can be used for food. After planting, you will be able to see the fruits on the bush after about 7 years.

Blood red hawthorn, planted and cared for in open ground, requires virtually no hassle and is able to cope with frosty or dry periods.

In its natural environment it can be found in the taiga part of Siberia, near rivers in the Far East.

• Single-pistillate or single-stone

In the wild it is found in southern and central Russia, Central Asia and the Caucasus. When compared with the prickly variety, it is worth noting that this variety grows much faster. Life expectancy is about 200-300 years. It is a tree with a height of 3 to 6 meters. The shoots have centimeter-long spines. After planting, you will have to wait about 6 years before the first fruits form. The tree consists of many branches that can be trimmed. There are varieties that have a lot of differences from their parent.

• Variety Paul Scarlet - Paul's Scarlet

With the onset of spring, this shrub produces pink flowers that gather in numerous inflorescences. As a rule, the variety serves only as an excellent decoration for gardens and parks, since it is almost impossible to see berries on the bush.

Video on how to care for hawthorn and its beneficial properties

• Chinese

The species has only one difference from other representatives of this family. The Chinese hawthorn specimen has virtually no thorns. Which made it a favorite variety among gardeners for high-quality decorative landscaping in garden plots.

• Black – Crataegus nigra

Red-brown shoots form a round crown with ovoid, slightly pointed 5-9 cm leaves.

On the tree you can find a small number of spines, the size of which is no more than 1 cm.

The upper part of the foliage is bare, and the lower part has a white felt covering.

After blooming, the flowers are white. By the end of flowering they acquire a pink tint.

This hawthorn has black, glossy fruits approximately 1 cm in diameter and have a spherical shape and filled with pulp.

• Far Eastern

It is a bush-like tree, the crown of which is decorated with green shiny leaves, reaching up to 4 meters in height. Large thorns grow on the branches. It does not bloom for long. White-pink flowers are collected in drooping inflorescences. The small fruits stay on the tree for a long time and also have a slightly sour taste.

• Dzungarian

The stems of this variety can be brownish gray or cherry red. The wide crown is decorated with ovate or elliptically ovate leaves without any covering. The snow-white flowers can be collected in complex, multi-flowered corymbose inflorescences. The shiny spherical fruits are purple, almost black.

• Red or softish hawthorn

This deciduous variety can grow up to 8 meters. Consists of one or more trunks.

The spherical or oval crown is decorated with large ovoid leaves, slightly pubescent at the base, and also with a serrated edge.

The branches are completely covered with large thorns. Short-term flowering is characterized by very beautiful and delicate snow-white flowers, similar to apple blossoms.

The orange-red, pear-shaped fruits have a mealy pulp with a not very expressive taste.

Growing in open ground

Thanks to shrubs, gardeners can effortlessly create a hedge that not only decorates the garden, but also bears fruit. When to plant? As a rule, it is planted in spring or autumn. Like most fruit-bearing trees, autumn is the most favorable time for planting.

The place where you decide to plant the bush should be sunny. Heavy, but well-drained soil will do.

How to plant correctly

Depending on the purpose for which the plant will be grown, the method of planting it will also depend.

If you want to pick berries from it, then you need to keep a couple of meters between each bush. This distance is necessary so that the trees can be well pollinated.

Hawthorn is a tree or shrub that needs to be planted in spring or autumn. For this purpose, you will need two-year-old seedlings, which are placed in a previously prepared hole, about 60 cm deep and wide. Do not forget to spend time on the roots of the seedling, removing all the dried tips from them.

Even though the boyarka is considered an unpretentious plant, it is best to plant it in well-drained, fertile soil.

Landing rules:

• The first thing you need to do is place 12 cm of fine gravel at the bottom of the hole and fill it with 10 cm of sand.
• Next you will need 0.5 buckets of humus, 100 grams of superphosphate and 1 liter of wood ash. All this must be mixed thoroughly.
• Add soil to the resulting mixture to fill 1/3 of the hole.
• As soon as the fertilizer is in the hole, it should be covered with a layer of soil and watered with a bucket of water.
• After the water is completely absorbed, place the seedling in the center, remembering to carefully straighten its root system.
• Cover the plant with soil and tamp it down a little, watering the soil again with water. Be sure to cover the soil with peat, dry grass or straw.

If you properly care for the shrub, then after about 7 years it will delight you with its lush flowering and tasty fruits.

What kind of care is needed to provide blood clots?

Tips: how to grow hawthorn

1. It is necessary to water once a month. To do this, you need to pour at least 3-4 buckets of water under each bush.
2. During dry summer days, more frequent watering is allowed. But this is only if the bush begins to dry out.
3. Loosening the soil and weeding are no less important procedures. With the onset of autumn and spring, dig up the soil around the bush with one spade bayonet, which will allow it to be saturated with oxygen.
4. Use mandatory mulching.
5. Before the onset of cold weather, be sure to cover young trees using straw or dry leaves.

How and when to apply fertilizer

If you want the plant to grow actively and not be attacked by pests and diseases, it will need to be periodically fed with fertilizers. This procedure should be carried out several years after planting and before the fruits appear on the bush. Fertilizers are applied at least 2 times a year.

• They should be applied for the first time when the leaves begin to bloom. Fertilizers containing nitrogen are used for this purpose. You will need 20 liters of water, to which add 4 tbsp. urea. Everything needs to be mixed thoroughly and watered over the bush.
• The second feeding should be applied in the last days of September. You need to mix 4 tbsp. nitrophoska with 20 liters of water. The resulting solution needs to be watered onto the tree.

You will also need wood ash. To do this, you need to sprinkle 0.5 cans of ash under each tree.

Important tip! Use the option of fertilizing with slurry rather than any chemicals. To do this, dilute mullein with water, observing a ratio of 1 to 5. Ten liters of the resulting solution should be used to fertilize the bush once before it begins to bloom.

How to trim

A rather important procedure when growing hawthorn is pruning. Thanks to it, you can not only form an attractive crown of a tree, but also promptly remove damaged and excess shoots from it.

It is necessary to prune before the leaves bloom and the bush has time to emerge from dormancy, usually in very early spring. This is done so that the time for active sap flow does not come.

The same actions are carried out with samples planted in pots or boxes that are grown at home. More often, such planting methods are used in northern regions, where it is necessary to bring young trees indoors.

What you need to know before transplant

Before transplanting, be sure to prepare a hole where you will place it in the future. When is the best time to replant hawthorn? The procedure should be carried out before the pet turns 5 years old, since older trees have a powerful, deep root system.

To begin, carefully dig around the bush on all sides without damaging the roots. You need to pry the earthen ball with a shovel and slightly tilt it, remove the bush from the soil and place it on a cloth or oilcloth, with which you can transfer it to the new hole. Do not forget to treat the root system with root, then place it in a hole with fertile soil and cover it with soil.

Reproduction methods

Decorative hawthorn photo, which shows all its beauty, can be propagated in several ways:

• Seeds.

In this way, the plant reproduces not only in the garden, but also in its natural environment without outside help. Sowing is carried out in the fall. Mulching the area where the seeds are sown with fallen leaves is required. Only in summer you will be able to see young shoots.

• Vegetative.

This method uses root cuttings or suckers. With special care, you need to separate the cutting from the root system of the main shrub and plant it in the place where it will grow in the future.

• Copulation.

cutting method

This method can also be used for propagation. The procedure is carried out before the first buds appear, that is, in early spring. You will need not only a cutting, but also a rootstock plant, which can be a rowan or a poorly fruiting hawthorn.

• On the planting material and shoot of the plant to which the cutting will be grafted, you need to make oblique cuts.
• After making special calculations, tongues are made that need to be connected and tied with tape or polyethylene.
• After 1 cm of buds begin to appear on the cutting, the material with which it was tied should be removed.
• If grafted correctly, it will bear its first fruits and produce many flowers after 5 years.

Who can harm: pests and diseases

Both chemicals are suitable for the fight, including karbofos, chlorophos, nitrafan and others, as well as a soap solution, which you should still start with. All chemicals are diluted according to instructions.

Powdery mildew and spotted rot also attack the tree. If such a disease has overtaken your plant, you can save it only by getting rid of the infected stems. Areas that have not yet become diseased should be sprayed with chemicals based on a fungicide.

How to collect raw materials

Thanks to the bushes, you can not only decorate your garden plot, but also get various vitamins. In order to avoid colds, eat a couple of dried fruits every day.

Drying method

Hawthorn has beneficial properties, which are known to every person, and must be collected in a timely manner. The inflorescences are collected on dry days in May, when the plant is actively blooming. They are used only in dried form.

• If we talk about fruits, they should be collected in the last days of summer and early autumn.
• The sign for picking berries is their deep red color.
• The tree bark is collected from April to May.

Before you start drying the raw materials, you must rinse them in running water and dry them with a towel. Spread it on a cloth or parchment paper in a thin layer so that all the liquid drips off.

Drying should be done in a well-ventilated area.

Drying is allowed in special chambers where the temperature is set at no lower than 40 degrees and no higher than 60.

At this temperature interval, the “usefulness” of all plant components is preserved to the maximum.

During drying, the berries shrink greatly and become lighter.

If you dry hawthorn fruits correctly, they should have a bitter taste and a specific smell.

Must be stored in a tightly closed container. Berries and bark are stored for no more than 2 years, and flowers for only one year.

Method of freezing fruits

Most experts advise freezing berries, because thanks to this method they can retain almost all of their valuable beneficial properties without loss.

Freshly picked berries should be washed and dried, then placed in a resealable container or special freezer bags and placed in the freezer.

The shelf life of such fruits is no more than a year.

You can brew tea, make compote, make medicinal tinctures and various flavorings from frozen glod fruits.

You can also chop the fruits or cut them into thin slices.

Hawthorn beneficial properties and contraindications

The beneficial qualities of the plant were discovered in the 16th century, when it began to be used as an astringent for intestinal disorders. In the 19th century, tea from the leaves and flowers was used to cleanse the blood, and in the early 20th century, the berries and petals were used to treat heart and vascular diseases.

Beneficial features

green-fruited variety

Depending on the variety, it depends on how useful the shrub has. The most endowed with medicinal properties are considered to be blood red, daurian, pentapistillate, monopistillate, common and green-fruited hawthorn. Flowers and berries are most suitable for making medicinal preparations.

The fruits contain fructose, which allows diabetics to use them as food. In addition, they contain triterpene biological substances, tartaric, caffeic and citric acid, vitamins A, P and C, as well as many other useful substances.

People who consume valuable fruits suffer less from heart disease than others. Elderly people are recommended to use medications based on this plant as a preventative measure, since thanks to the drugs the heart muscle becomes stronger, blood pressure normalizes, fatigue and irritability decrease. It is worth noting that glod-based products have no side effects.

One of the most common remedies used at home is:

Hawthorn tincture

To prepare you need:

• Approximately 100-150 g of dried berries should be crushed in a wooden mortar and placed in a jar. Pour a liter of alcohol or vodka over the fruits, close the lid tightly and leave to infuse in a cool place protected from sunlight. You need to insist for at least 3 weeks. After the specified period, strain using gauze.
• For this tincture you will need 100 g of fresh inflorescences, which are placed in a jar and filled with a liter of vodka or alcohol. Close the lid tightly and leave for 10 days in a cool, dark place. Don't forget to strain the tincture through cheesecloth.

Attention! You can find out what hawthorn tincture helps with and how to take it correctly by consulting with your doctor. Don't self-medicate!

Contraindications

Like any medicinal drug, although it is herbal, remedies from boyarka have some contraindications that can harm the body. Pregnant women, breastfeeding women, as well as hypotensive women and those with individual intolerance should not use it. If you do not belong to any of the listed groups, then feel free to use the plant. But remember, excessive consumption is also not advisable.

Using hawthorn in landscape design

In order to grow shrubs in your garden, you need to follow only three rules:

1. feed in a timely manner
2. trim the plant
3. provide it with the necessary lighting

If you do everything correctly, the tree will be able to please you with abundant flowering and healthy fruits. In addition, proper care will fill your garden with original and unforgettable shrubs.

Amateur and professional flower growers use wood in various compositions.

So you can see the lady tree near borders, in flower beds, in compositions with large stones, for decorating alleys and parks.

Ornamental trees are also suitable for creating hedges and strengthening the slopes of artificial reservoirs.

Video of preparing hawthorn tincture: beneficial properties and when to use

The hawthorn plant is known for its decorative and medicinal properties. This crop can be used as a hedge to produce fruit. Growing a hawthorn plant in open ground will require basic knowledge of its agricultural technology. It is also important to choose the right varieties and species suitable for the climate zone. The proposed descriptions and photos will help in this difficult task.

Family: Rosaceae.

Homeland - North America, Eurasia, Russia.

What does a hawthorn tree, leaves and fruits look like: characteristics and description, height and flowering (with photo)

The characteristics of the hawthorn plant begin with the fact that it is distributed mainly in temperate regions of the northern hemisphere, mainly in North America, as well as Eurasia. There are 47 species of this plant found in Russia. The most famous of them: blood red and Siberian. Many people, even novice gardeners, know what a hawthorn tree looks like. Look at the hawthorn in the photo and in the description of the plant - this will allow you to obtain all the necessary knowledge for choosing seedlings:

A beautiful, spherical shrub up to 2.5 - 3 m high, sometimes low trees, shoots with numerous spines up to 5 cm long. The height of a hawthorn tree depends largely on pruning and shaping. The crown is dense, round, spherical or ovoid, often asymmetrical. The leaves are pinnately lobed, pinnately dissected or entire, bluish-green or yellow-green in color. Hawthorn foliage is especially beautiful in the fall, when it displays bright yellow or red colors. The bark is brown. See what hawthorn leaves look like in the photos offered on this page:

The flowers are white, less often pink or red, collected in semi-umbrellas or corymbose inflorescences. There are varieties with double flowers. Blooms in late spring - early summer (May - June). The hawthorn blossom in the photo impresses with its amazing beauty.

Hawthorn fruits are small dry or fleshy apples with 1–5 seeds. If hawthorn flowers are the same, then the fruits can vary in shape, size, and color. Moreover, they are all edible, but not always tasty. Often, hawthorn fruits can hang on the branches all winter. The fruits ripen, depending on the type, in August - late October, and do not fall off for a long time. See what hawthorn fruits look like in the photo illustrating the fruiting process:

Hawthorn grows slowly. Begins to bear fruit at 10-15 years of age. But it lives a long time - 200-300 years. In the East, hawthorn was called “wild apple tree”: The hawthorn tree really looks like an apple tree, especially with its leaves and roots. The presented hawthorn tree in the photo and in the description can become the basis for forming a hedge or a shady corner of the garden.

More than 200 species of hawthorn are known. The most common types are:

Common hawthorn, or barbed (C. oxiacantha)

Hawthorn blood red (S. sanguinea), hawthorn punctata (S. punctata) and etc.

When several types of hawthorns are grown together by cross-pollination, hybrids are easily formed.

Usage

The presence of thorns and a dense crown make it possible to use hawthorn as a reliable hedge. The shrub is also good in single and group plantings.

Hawthorn is decorative and is used for landscaping parks and squares. It is good for creating hedges. Hawthorn is widely used in green construction and for protective afforestation. It has an important soil-protective value in mountainous conditions. Sometimes used in fruit growing as a rootstock for dwarf apple and pear trees. Hawthorn is a good honey plant. From the branches and bark you can prepare a decoction for dyeing fabric red. In addition, the bark is used in tanning leather.

Hawthorn wood is of great value. It is durable, viscous, has a beautiful texture, various carpentry crafts and art utensils are made from it, and toys are cut out. The wood is used to make handles for shovels and impact tools.

Juices, jams, jams, jelly, marmalade and compotes are prepared from hawthorn fruits. Fruits and flowers are of great use in medicine - for heart diseases, insomnia, dizziness, shortness of breath.

Conditions for growing hawthorn and propagating from cuttings

The conditions for growing hawthorn are not anything supernatural, since it is an unpretentious plant. It is drought-resistant, light-loving, does not tolerate darkening, and is very winter-hardy. It does not need to be regularly watered or fertilized; the bush grows for several years and can withstand even severe frosts. Thanks to its well-developed root system, hawthorn thrives in any soil, but prefers loam or clayey, medium-fertile, calcareous soil. It is best to propagate and grow hawthorn in sunny areas. At a young age, all hawthorns easily take the form of a bush when the main trunk is pruned. Shaping pruning should only be done after the first flowering.

It is mainly practiced to grow hawthorn from cuttings, since this allows the plant to quickly bear fruit. To plant it, use a cutting, a piece of root with layering (by grafting to another bush).

Planting hawthorn seeds: cultivation and care in open ground (with video)

Planting hawthorn seeds requires enormous patience from the gardener. Hawthorn can be propagated by seeds, which sprout in 1.5–2 years. In the first year, the seedlings grow 10–12 cm. In the 2nd year, they are transplanted for growing; in the 3rd year, the growth is cut off, leaving 2–3 buds above the soil level. This measure causes rapid growth of the bush. A more reliable method is propagation by root suckers or grafting of the desired shoots onto monopistillate or prickly hawthorn. Planting and caring for hawthorn in open ground will require timely feeding, without which it is difficult to obtain a healthy plant.

For planting, select a greenish fruit, take out the seeds from it, keep them in a solution of potassium nitrate, then dry them and leave them in a cool, dry place until spring. The planting hole for one hawthorn bush should have a length and diameter of 60 cm.

Hawthorn is planted both in spring and autumn; to obtain fruits - in pits, to create a hedge - in a trench. The holes are dug with a diameter and depth of 60 cm at a distance of 1.5–2 m from each other. 1–2 buckets of compost are added to each of them, and 5 tbsp of mineral fertilizers. spoons of nitrophoska. A trench is dug 60 cm wide and 50 cm deep. Add 1–2 buckets of compost and 4 tbsp. spoons of nitrophoska per 1 linear meter. Bushes in the trench are planted every 40–50 cm.

(apple trees, pears, cherries, etc.) are not grown next to hawthorn, since they have common pests, such as hawthorn, apple aphids, leaf rollers, and cherry sawflies.

After 5–6 years it begins to bear fruit. Caring for it involves weeding, loosening, fertilizing and crown formation. Bushes in hedges can be pruned to the desired height, this encourages the formation of lateral branches.

In the second year after planting and in subsequent years before fruiting begins, hawthorn is fed 2 times.

The first feeding is carried out in the spring before flowering and when the leaves bloom: dilute 3 tbsp in 10 liters of water. spoons of “Potassium Humate” universal, consumption – 15–20 liters per bush, depending on the age of the plant.

The second feeding is carried out in the fall (September): 3 tbsp. spoons of nitrophoska per 10 liters of water, consumption – 15–25 liters per bush.

Fruiting bushes are fed 3 times. The first feeding is done in the spring before flowering and during leaf bloom: 2 tbsp. spoons of “Potassium humate” for fruit and berry crops and 2 tbsp. Intermag spoons for fruit crops are diluted in 10 liters of water, solution consumption is 20–30 liters per bush.

The second feeding is carried out at the beginning of flowering: 4 tbsp. spoons of “Potassium humate” for fruit and berry crops are diluted in 10 liters of water, the solution consumption is 30–40 liters per bush.

The third feeding is done during fruiting: 3 tbsp. spoons of nitrophoska are diluted in 10 liters of water, consumption is 30–40 liters per bush.

During the growing season and fruiting period, foliar feeding is carried out in the form of spraying with the growth regulator "Emistim". Spray until the crown is completely wetted.

Watch the cultivation and care of hawthorn in the video, which shows all agricultural operations:

Hawthorn pests

Hawthorn is a host plant for a very large number of pests - fruit sawfly, apple flower beetle, hawthorn fruit leaf beetle, cherry weevil, hawthorn gall midges, bud mite, hawthorn psyllid, aphids, maple mealybug, acacia false scale, several scale insects, moths, moths, lancets , pear mite, apple and wrinkled sapwood. Among the fungal diseases on this plant, fruit mummification, powdery mildew, spotting, rust, blackhead, and central trunk rot are common. Hawthorn is also damaged by nematodes.

Against hawthorn, apple aphids, leaf rollers and sawflies, the bush is sprayed in the spring, before flowering, with a solution of the drug "Karbofos" (60 g per 10 liters of water). Treatment is carried out in the morning or evening. The drug "Citcor" is also used (1.5 ml per 10 liters of water).

Hawthorn hedge: how to plant (with photos and videos)

To create a hawthorn hedge in the first year after planting, you need to trim the bush heavily, leaving the stumps no higher than 10-15 cm from the soil level. This pruning is done in April; it promotes the formation of powerful basal shoots. In the second year, at the same time, to create a strong skeleton, deep pruning is again carried out, which ensures the appearance of new shoots and increased growth of last year's shoots. If the hedge remains insufficiently thick, such severe pruning is carried out in the third year. When pruning, try to give the hedge a conical shape. Usually, from the moment of emergence of seedlings to the formation of a dense hedge 1.4 - 1.5 m high, up to 10 years pass. Before annual shaping and trimming, a cord is pulled along the hedge to mark the boundary of the required trimming. The hawthorn hedge in the photo is grown in a similar way:

To create a hedge, you can use the following species that are widespread in the European part of Russia: prickly hawthorn (common or smooth), blood-red hawthorn (Siberian) and monopistillate hawthorn, which differs from prickly hawthorn in its rapid growth and pinkish tint of flowers. Spur hawthorn, or “cockspur,” comes from eastern North America and gets its name from the long, curved spines that cover the shoots. But it is not frost-resistant enough and tolerates haircuts worse than others.

When creating a hedge, it should be taken into account that all hawthorns develop better, bloom profusely and bear fruit on well-drained, fertile sandy loams and loams with obligatory liming, preferring open sunny spaces.

Since the roots of hawthorn are located deep in the ground, only young, 3–6-year-old seedlings are selected for planting - older plants take root much less well.

Before planting hawthorn for a hedge, prepare a trench with a width of 40–50 cm (for a single row) to 1 m (for a double row hedge) and a depth of 50–70 cm. If the soil is poor, make a mixture of equal parts of peat, humus and trenches of earth. Depending on the type of hedge, a planting pattern is selected: 30–50 cm between plants in a single-row hedge, 50–70 cm for a two-row hedge, with a distance between rows of 50–60 cm. In the latter option, plants are planted in a checkerboard pattern. To create formed living walls, one row of plants is laid according to a pattern of 0.8–1.2 m, unformed (free-growing) - 1.2 m.

Trellis-type hedges are more labor-intensive to form; it is better to use prickly hawthorn plants. In this case, 1–2-year-old seedlings are planted every 20–30 cm in one row along a temporary fence with poles horizontally located at a height of 25, 35 and 50 cm. A year after planting, the plants are cut “for reverse growth,” that is, to a stump 10 cm high. Of the newly grown shoots, only the two strongest shoots located in the plane of the trellis are left. After another year, these shoots are oriented in opposite directions at an angle of 45 degrees. In this case, the shoots of neighboring plants cross each other and (for better fusion) part of the bark is cut off at the places of their contact, and the combined areas are tightly wrapped with ribbons of plastic film and coated with garden pitch. The entire structure is attached to the lower transverse pole at a height of 25 cm, cutting off branches protruding beyond this border.

In the spring of next year, the two strongest, parallel shoots are left. In relation to the supporting branch of last year, they are located at an angle of 90 degrees. They are also crossed with neighboring shoots and tied at a height of 35 cm and cut off. In the fifth year, shoots are tied to the third pole. Subsequently, the trellis is cut like an ordinary hedge and brought to a height of 1.0–1.5 m, while the sides are cut so that the width of the wall does not exceed 30 cm. The intertwined shoots grow together, thicken, and the window-cells between them gradually overgrown. The result is a very durable, beautiful and impenetrable hedge, which also takes up very little space in width. If desired, the number of horizontal poles can be much larger, and they will be located much higher. Accordingly, the duration of formation of this high hedge increases.

With strong shoot growth, hawthorns can be pruned 2–3 times per season, and the last pruning should be no later than mid-July. In this case, 1/2–2/3 of the length of the current growth is cut off each time.

For low hedges, hawthorn can be cut into a rectangle, but for living walls it is better to make a trapezoidal profile with an angle of inclination of the side walls of 70–80 degrees, which allows the lower branches to also receive sunlight. Watch the hawthorn hedge in the video, which shows all the moments of its cultivation and formation:

When creating such a fence, it should be taken into account that this type of planting requires very careful and timely care. In the first two years after planting, watering and double-sided loosening of the soil in a zone of 50–80 cm from the plants themselves are required. After two years, fertilize with organic fertilizers in dry form - in the fall or early spring for digging. As top dressing, use 2–4 kg of humus or compost or 2–3 kg of peat per 1 m2 of occupied area. Along with organic fertilizers, mineral fertilizing is also carried out. However, the rule is clearly followed here: phosphorus-potassium fertilizers are applied when digging up the soil in the fall, and nitrogen fertilizers only during early spring loosening. Per 1 m2: ammonium sulfate 60–80 g, superphosphate 60–80 g, potassium salt 30–40 g.

It should be borne in mind that hedges, especially hawthorn, are often used as intermediate hosts for a subsequent “attack” on the garden. Therefore, it is imperative to carry out chemical or biological protection against pests.

Types and varieties of hawthorn: description with photos

We propose to consider the types and varieties of hawthorn growing in the middle zone. All types and varieties of hawthorn with photos offered on this page are quite easily propagated and grown in difficult climatic conditions.

Common hawthorn (C. laevigata =C. oxyacantha) is a very common species in Western Europe, which, with proper care, grows magnificently in the central zone. Its branches are red-brown in color and may have rare spines up to 2.5 cm long. The shiny leaves can reach a length of 6 cm, they have a smooth surface with 3–5 lobes. Rarely flowered small inflorescences are formed by small white flowers. The red fruits are about 1.2 cm long and have 2–3 seeds inside. Common hawthorn is the founder of many excellent varieties:

Rubra, Crimson Cloud.

Punicea – have dark red flowers with a white center, Rosea Flore Plena – has double flowers of pink color.

Let's look at other types of hawthorn with descriptions and basic botanical characteristics.

Douglas hawthorn (C. douglasii) with proper pruning can form wide and dense bushes, and if not pruned, it grows into a large spreading tree that bends its branches to the ground. There are practically no thorns on the red-brown branches, but there are an abundance of shiny oblong leaves with lobes in the upper part up to 8 cm long. Dense and wide inflorescences are replaced by black shiny fruits with yellow sweet pulp with a diameter of about 1 cm.

The most common Asian species is hawthorn blood red (C. sanguinea). A photo of this hawthorn variety and description allows you to decide whether such a crop is needed on the site. Its branches are reddish-brown and shiny, lined with spines up to 4 cm long and abundant dark green foliage. The leaves are large, up to 10 cm long, with 3–4 deep lobes. Flowers are collected in small, about 5 cm, inflorescences. Ripe hawthorn fruits have a diameter of more than 1 cm, are red in color, have a glossy surface and juicy powdery pulp. This variety is very similar to Daurian hawthorn (C. dahurica) with smaller leaves, as well as Maksimovich's hawthorn (C. maximowichii), which is distinguished by a more cut-out leaf shape.

There are other types of hawthorn, photos of which are offered further on the page. A brief description of the hawthorn variety will help you decide on the range of seedlings to purchase for planting.

Siberian hawthorn distributed in the East of the European part of the country, mainly east of the Volga, in Western Siberia, in the south of the Urals, in the western and southwestern parts of Eastern Siberia, as well as in Transbaikalia. There is a lot of hawthorn in the Krasnodar and Stavropol territories, in the Voronezh region, and in a number of republics of the North Caucasus. It grows singly or in small groups in sparse, broad-leaved and mixed forests, forest edges, clearings, river banks, mountain slopes, and among shrubs. Prefers fresh, fertile, alluvial soils of medium moisture. Tolerates shade, but grows better in open areas.

In the Far East, in the basin of the middle and lower reaches of the Amur and Ussuri, hawthorn is found in the form of a tree up to 6 m high. The spines are few in number, up to 2 cm long. The fruits are spherical or pear-shaped, up to 1.7 cm long, up to 1.5 cm in diameter, bright -red, shiny, with whitish warts, hard, with 3-5 seeds and red dense flesh. The fruits are edible and have a sour taste. This hawthorn grows along sandy ridges in riverine forests, and is less common on the gentle slopes of foothills with loamy soil, in the undergrowth of sparse oak forests and in logging areas. It is winter-hardy and heat-tolerant, as well as light-loving. It blooms in May–June, the fruits ripen in August–October.

Hawthorn prickly, nicknamed the lady, grows in forests and shrubs in the southwestern part of the Transcarpathian region. In the middle zone it is grown in park plantings as a hedge. Prickly hawthorn is a small thorny tree with alternate, more or less deeply dissected leaves. The flowers are small and usually white or reddish in color. The berries are red, but can also be orange-yellow.

The following types of hawthorn can be used as fruit plants:

Arnold, a little soft.

Holmes, Champlain, Ellwanger and others.

They are distinguished by large fruits with a fairly high content of ascorbic acid and carotene, an average amount of polyphenols, and are pleasant to the taste.

Of these species, the softest hawthorn is the most valuable. It is winter-hardy, bears fruit annually, and abundantly. These species can be recommended as a fruit crop. Their fruits are suitable for use in fresh and dried form. Juice and syrup, jam and compote are prepared from them.

Hawthorn cockspur (C. crus-galli) - native to North America, has a low, wide and flat crown. The twisting branches are located in a horizontal plane, they have numerous strong spines up to 10 cm long. On thick branches, the spines can wriggle and reach 20 cm in length. Large, up to 10 cm, dense leaves with clear veins. In autumn, they shine beautifully and shimmer in orange and red. Large inflorescences are replaced by round fruits up to 1.5 cm in diameter with dry pulp and a dirty green crust. Less dangerous with its thorns, but also beautiful in autumn, is the plum-leaved hawthorn (C. x prunifolia).

Terrible hawthorn, glandular or round-leaved (C. horrida = glandulosa = rotundifolia) - is a dense shrub with dense branches covered with thin and crooked spines. Rounded leaves up to 5 cm long, with sharp serrated edges and small lobes. In autumn the leaves turn yellow early. Large flowers give way to round red fruits. Fan-shaped hawthorn (C. flabellate) has numerous similarities with this species - a shrub with twisting olive-brown branches with strong curved spines up to 10 cm long and large leaves with small serrated lacy edges. These varieties grow well in the climatic conditions of Central Russia.

Zbigniew. The shoots are geniculate, brown, later gray, with numerous spines 5...6 cm long. The leaves are large, broadly ovate, shallowly lobed, with a sharp apex and a rounded base, serrated, glabrous above, pubescent along the veins below. The fruits are spherical, up to two cm in diameter, bright red, with light dots, weighing 3.5...5.0 g. The pulp is juicy, sweet and sour, of excellent taste. Valued for its high taste and early ripening.

Zlat. The shoots are straight, young dark brown, tomentose, later gray or light brown with gray spots, practically without thorns. The leaves are small, with a wedge-shaped base, obovate, three to five-partite, with elongated, almost entire lobes, light green, hairy pubescent. The fruits are spherical, ribbed, two cm in diameter, yellow, slightly pubescent, sour-sweet, tasty, weighing 2.5...4.0 g. Late ripening - end of September. Valued for its good taste, large fruit, and lack of thorns.

Chinese 1. The shoots are straight, young reddish-brown, with large white lentils, later brownish-gray, non-thorny. The leaves are large, with a wedge-shaped base, pinnately cut with serrated lobes, shiny, dark green above, lighter below, glabrous. The fruits are spherical, slightly flattened, three cm in diameter, dark burgundy, with large light warts, sour, with hard pulp, weighing 10...20 g. Very late ripening - mid-October. Advantages: very large fruits, absence of thorns.

Chinese 2. The shoots are straight, young dark brown, later gray, practically thornless. The leaves are medium-sized, with a wedge-shaped base, pinnately cut with serrated lobes, shiny, dark green above, lighter below, glabrous. The fruits are ellipsoidal, slightly faceted, two cm in diameter, dark red, shiny, with soft sweet pulp, weighing 4...5 g. Late ripening - early October. Valued for its large fruit, lack of thorns, and good taste.

Lyudmil. The shoots are straight, gray, and usually not thorny. The leaves are medium-sized, obovate, sometimes with shallow lobes, with a wedge-shaped, casque base, serrated, smooth on top. The fruits are more or less spherical, 2.0...2.5 cm in diameter, light orange-red, with light dots, weighing 4.5...10.0 g. The pulp is juicy, of satisfactory taste. Late ripening period - end of September. Valued for its large fruit size, long shelf life, and lack of thorns.

Shamil. The shoots are slightly geniculate, brown, later gray, with a few spines three to four cm long. The leaves are large, broadly ovate, with shallow lobes, with a sharp apex and usually rounded base, serrated, rough on top. The fruits are spherical, two cm in diameter, red, with light dots, with large sepals, weighing 4...6 g. The pulp is juicy, sweet and sour, of excellent taste. Late ripening period - end of September. Valued for its large fruit and excellent taste.

All of the above varieties, except Zlata, are characterized by high winter hardiness and can grow in most of the European territory of Russia. The limiting factor for them is heat supply and, as they move north, the fruits of late-ripening varieties may not acquire their inherent qualities.

These varieties grow in sharply continental climates, but do not tolerate soil freezing and low temperatures. Therefore, at a young age, ornamental shrubs should be covered with spruce branches in winter and protected from active sunlight in the first 2 years.

When does hawthorn begin to bear fruit after planting?

Most gardeners are concerned about the question of when hawthorn begins to bear fruit after planting, and how many years they will have to wait for the first harvest. Most varieties produce their first harvest after 2 years.

Attention! You can’t pick flowers in the morning (during dew) or after rain.

The berries are picked ripe in the fall, when the foliage has fallen off and they are especially visible on bare branches. They tear off the entire shield, then remove all the stalks, unripe and spoiled fruits. The collected raw materials are scattered on tin trays in a thin layer and placed in a preheated but not hot oven. From time to time, the berries are mixed, removing burnt ones, and the dried ones are poured into bags or plywood boxes. Properly dried raw materials can be stored for up to eight years without losing their healing properties.

What is valuable about hawthorn?

Blood-red hawthorn is most suitable for treatment. It contains flavonoids, saponins and other compounds. The fruits contain a lot of sugars, starch, organic acids, pectin substances, as well as vitamins C (hawthorn fruits contain more ascorbic acid than even oranges, and in some species the vitamin C content is even higher than rose hips!), B, E, K , carotene, trace elements: potassium, calcium, manganese, magnesium, iron. The seeds contain fatty oil.

Preparations are prepared from hawthorn fruits that are useful for vascular spasms, headaches, shortness of breath, insomnia, atherosclerosis, and hypertension. Hawthorn can also purify the blood.

People call hawthorn “bread of the heart.” It's not difficult to understand why. Hawthorn helps the heart beat smoothly, improves blood supply to blood vessels and the brain, reduces the excitability of the central nervous system, increases blood circulation in the coronary vessels, relieves mental and physical fatigue, and normalizes sleep. Hawthorn preparations are especially useful for menopausal women and the elderly. The most effective preparations are those made from fresh flowers. Hawthorn berries are especially useful for patients with diabetes. The liquid extract of the fruit is part of the well-known drug - cardiovalene. It has low toxicity and has a stimulating effect on a tired heart and reduces cholesterol levels in the blood. After taking hawthorn preparations in regular courses, well-being noticeably improves, blood pressure decreases, headaches, dizziness, noise in the head or ears decrease or disappear, cholesterol levels in the blood decrease and lecithin concentration increases, and there is a tendency toward normalization of blood clotting parameters. Many modern doctors believe that hawthorn is one of the best means of preventing diseases of the cardiovascular and nervous systems. This is explained by the fact that it causes dilation of blood vessels, has a mild diuretic effect, and accelerates recovery after a serious illness. Some argue that hawthorn with black fruits is especially useful for those suffering from atherosclerosis and tumor diseases: its fruits are rich in anthocyanins - opponents of free radicals.

Attention! Hawthorn preparations should not be used during pregnancy and breastfeeding.

Decoctions and tinctures should not be taken on an empty stomach - only half an hour after a meal.

People with low blood pressure should take hawthorn with caution, keeping in mind the ability of hawthorn to lower blood pressure.

You should not take hawthorn for too long, as this may cause heart rate depression.

Hawthorn, the beneficial properties and contraindications of which we will consider today, is a hawthorn plant that can be perfectly used as so-called hedges, in addition, it will grow on its own in a forest belt. In autumn, crimson-red fruits appear on this bush; they are small in size and have healing qualities.

The medicinal properties of hawthorn have been known since ancient times, and besides, as already mentioned, hawthorn is an excellent plant for a hedge, since the presence of large thorns on the branches will not allow so-called uninvited guests to get through the bush.

The hawthorn or hawthorn bush belongs to the rose family. It can be quite tall, up to four meters, over time turning into a beautiful and neat tree with strong wood, while its branches have four-centimeter spines. The flowering of the plant does not last long, but during this time the bees manage to collect valuable hawthorn honey from it. In autumn, the berries ripen; they are not very tasty, but they are healthy.

Useful properties of boyarka berries

The small boyarka berry contains a lot of useful chemicals, I will list them for informational purposes: choline, acetylcholine, fatty oil, flavonoids, essential oils, sorbitol, caffeic acid, saponins, and organic acids that can also be noted: tartaric, citric In addition, tannins and other valuable components were identified.

These fruits are extremely useful, as they can improve heart function, normalize blood pressure, and generally improve blood circulation, in addition, the process of falling asleep and sleeping in general, therefore, will not be bothered by insomnia, in addition, the berries prevent the development of shortness of breath and tachycardia .

From the berries you can prepare medicinal decoctions and healing infusions, which are taken for preventive purposes. In addition to the stimulating effect, the fruits are famous for containing a significant amount of vitamins. Boyarka contains a lot of ascorbic acid; without this compound it is difficult to imagine the normal functioning of organs and systems.

It is advisable to use these berries during colds and flu. In addition to the medicinal properties of the fruits of this shrub, there are also some contraindications that are worth listing.

Does boyarka have any contraindications for use?

It would seem that this berry is good for everyone, but there are some contraindications. It should not be consumed in large quantities; the norm is a glass of berries per day. It should not be used by pregnant and lactating women, as well as by renal pathology.

In addition, boyarka is a berry that can provoke the development of drowsiness, as well as a relaxed state in a person, therefore, car drivers should be careful when consuming berries.

Dishes that include boyarka, recipes for their preparation

There are different recipes for preparing berries, for example, housewives prepare jam, jam, healthy confiture from these fruits, in addition, they are added to apple compote, which makes its taste special, and they are also infused and made into a tasty and healing tea, in addition, you can prepare decoction, as well as medicinal tincture.

In addition, if you grind these berries and add them to flour, you will get a sweetish dough that can be used to prepare various confectionery dishes.

Jam recipe

You can make medicinal jam from boyarka, for this purpose you will need the following ingredients:

Berries – 1 kilogram;
Glass of water;
Granulated sugar – 1 kilogram.

The berries should be sorted, washed and dried well, then you need to boil the syrup, to do this you should mix sugar with water and bring to a boil, after which they should pour over the fruits. You can leave them in this form for 12 hours. Next, you should boil the jam for five minutes and leave it to cool again for two hours, then after secondary heat treatment, you should put it in glass jars.

First, the jars must be sterilized, after which jam is poured into them and the container is rolled up with a tin lid for winter storage. The result is a delicious jam with beneficial properties that can be used for medicinal purposes.

Berry infusion

You can prepare a medicinal decoction from the fruits of the boyarka. To do this, you will need two tablespoons of berries per glass of boiling water. This medicine should be covered with a lid and left to infuse for some time, about 40 minutes. After which you will get a medicinal infusion, which should be filtered.

To do this, you need to use a strainer or you can use gauze folded in two layers, through which the infusion is filtered, and the remaining berries can be thrown away. The drug is brought to a volume of 200 milliliters with boiled water and taken on the recommendation of a herbalist for heart diseases.

Here’s something else you can prepare from boyarka berries:

Compote of berries and apples

For the winter, you can make a preparation of these healthy berries; to do this, pour about a quarter of the fruit container and the same number of pieces of peeled apples into a three-liter jar and pour boiling water over them. Then, after 30 minutes, when the liquid has cooled slightly, it is poured into a saucepan, where a glass of granulated sugar is added, and everything is brought to a boil.

Next, pour the prepared syrup over the berries and apples, and then screw the jars with tin lids. After which they are turned over onto the lid and cooled, then they can be taken for storage. The healthy compote is ready. Bon appetit!