How To Trim Hawthorn Buds and Leaves : Lore of the Hawthorne Tree

 

Hawthorn trees are legendary for their help with human hearts. Here are some legendary guidelines to collecting buds and leaves.

According to Wikimedia Commons, the Hawthorn trees have a history of lore. It's considered unlucky to trim the tree except when it's in bloom.

http://www.naturalremedies.org/hawthorn-herb/

Processing the herb is unnecessary, although it is almost always dried, crushed and turned into powder form. However, it is perfectly effective to simply chew the leaves and buds raw and straight from the tree...The plant’s berries can be eaten straight from the tree as well once they are ripe. The ripest berries are dark red and nearly black

References

Dave's Garden
I have been told there were three sacred trees in Ireland and in Wales: the Oak, the Ash, and the Hawthorn, but the hawthorn was favored more than all others.  Read more: http://davesgarden.com/guides/articles/view/1087/#ixzz2UKaePjz2
http://davesgarden.com/guides/articles/view/1087/

"In Irish folklore the Hawthorn is sometimes referred to as the fairy bush, due to the belief that fairy spirits inhabit the tree as guardians...it has always been considered bad luck to cut or damage the tree in fear of offending them.  However after due regard to the guardian spirit, the collecting of sprigs and flowers ...was allowed...
http://www.controverscial.com/Hawthorn.htm