Hawthorn, the common name of the genus Crataegus, is a thorny shrub with bright-green leaves, white flowers and bright-red berries each containing one to three or five seeds.
Crataegus is from the rose family, Rosaceae, which includes more than 280 species. The flowers, leaves and fruit are recommended for patients suffering from heart failure.
Hawthorn grows worldwide and is used in many cultures, featuring in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), Western medicine and Ayurveda.
Many herbal writers discussed its benefits from the 15th century onwards. In 1640, Parkinson wrote about the
