The History, Mythology, and Offerings of Hawthorn
With the arrival of fall, I am excited for the hawthorn trees to begin ripening their fruits to crimson, soon ready for harvesting. Hawthorn (Crataegus spp.) is a member of the Rosaceae family. This botanical family also contains red raspberry (Rubus ideaus) and wild rose (Rosa woodsii), each of which, like hawthorn, protect themselves by […]
Herbal Myths, Lore, and Legends: Lady’s Mantle, Mint, Fennel, Mandrake, Elder, Thistle, and Belladonna
Every culture offers myths, legends, and folklore to justify some event, instruct us on proper behavior, or issue horrible warnings if a person breaks the rules of proper behavior. Myths are generally about the gods, e.g., Zeus, and are usually a symbolic account of what happened rather than factual. Folklore sometimes has mythical creatures like […]