The Hawthorne Tree
By Kendra Wallace
   Like other trees, the Hawthorne is one occasionally of magical qualities, especially evidence by the attendance of bowtruckles. The tree is known by many other common names: May, Mayblossom, Quick, Thorn, Whitethorn, Haw, Hazels, Gazels, Hagthorn, Ladies' Meat, and the Bread and Cheese Tree. The Hawthorn gets one of its commonest popular names from blooming in May. Many country villagers believe that Hawthorn flowers still bear the smell of the Great Plague of London and anyone having had the pleasure of sniffing the blooms in early May will know immediately what they mean if you don't have a cold. The tree was formerly regarded as sacred, probably from a Christian tradition that it furnished the Crown of Thorns. The device of a Hawthorn bush was chosen by Henry VII because a small crown from the helmet of Richard III was discovered hanging on it after the battle of Bosworth, hence the saying, 'Cleve to thy Crown though it hangs on a bush.' The Hawthorn is called Crataegus Oxyacantha, deriving from the Greek roots kratos, meaning hardness (of the wood), oxcus (sharp), and akantha (a thorn). The German name of Hagedorn, meaning Hedgethorn, reminds us that from a very early period the Germans divided their land into plots by hedges. The word haw is also an old word for hedge. The name Whitethorn arises from the whiteness of its bark and Quickset from its growing as a quick or living hedge, in contrast to a paling of dead wood, in spite of its smell.
   This tree in its maturity will attain a height of 30 feet and lives to a great age, lending to its value as a wizard or witch often develops a relationship with one tree (given that to invest time in multiple of these thorned trees would be both time consuming and painful). It possesses a single seed-vessel to each blossom producing a separate fruit, which when ripe is a brilliant red and contains a pit. In some districts these mealy red fruits are called Pixie Pears or Cuckoo's Beads. Most interestingly enough, the flowers are mostly fertilized by carrion insects. It is thought that the odor of decomposition in the flowers attracts mostly those insects that lay their eggs and hatch out their larvae in decaying animal matter, lending to the imagery of the tree as it must thrive in battlefields and other such areas as carrion is easily found.
   The leaves and berries of the Hawthorne are particularly attractive for faeries who delight in the taste of what otherwise seems to be an overly acrid and fleshless fruit. Some have used the leaves in a tea, which appears to have more application as a protective tonic when used alone than for wish-giving which is what some Hags swear by its true use is. The timber, when of sufficient size, is used for making small articles, particularly wands given its even temperance for magic - equally good at charms and wards as it is at offensive and defensive spellwork. Its thorns can mar the quality if not carefully excluded. The root-wood is also used for making boxes and combs; the wood has a fine grain and takes a beautiful polish in addition to possessing a degree of innate protective magic. Hawthorne makes excellent fuel, making the hottest wood-fire known and used to be considered more desirable than Oak for oven-heating. Charcoal made from it has been said to melt iron without the aid of a blast.
   The Hawthorne in itself is a very hardy species, flourishing in a wide range of soils - tolerating even the alkaline soils that holly trees tend to prefer as well as severe air pollution. However, the magical trees tend to not be found in areas populated thickly enough with muggles to be the source of such pollution. There are also varieties that serve well as hedges and do not grow like the tree, and rarely a group of these strung together will serve as a colony for bowtruckles if tended by a reputable Herbologist or even some hags have been known to prefer this species given the odor.
   In summary, the Hawthorne tree is one with many properties and uses appropriate for study. Its longevity and unusual interaction with carrion-feeding insects suggest an unusual connection with death, although itself is a positive magical force. Its use in wands as fallen out of favor, although the wood itself is well balanced, lacking in any real weaknesses. Its wood and leaves are used in objects, charms, and potions because of its innate protective properties and some suspect that it has the ability to grant wishes or give short spurts of luck magic. It also attracts faeries, who prefer the fruit. The trees are relatively hardy and easy to grow, and are more likely to be powerfully magical if grown in remote climes. However, as to its more controversial properties (acknowledged in an old carol, quoted below) as a poison (cardiac) and possessing thorns that are known to sour the otherwise positive properties of the wood it is notable that the Hawthorne should not be used by an unaware novice.
   "Green grow the leaves on the Hawthorne tree. We jangle and we wrangle and we never can agree."