Hawthorn, Also Called Haw, or Thornapple,

Hawthorn, also called Haw, or Thornapple, can be any of a number of thorny shrubs or small trees of the genus Crataegus, in the rose family (Rosaceae), native to the North Temperate Zone.

Many species are native to North America and the fruits or haws are edible. The taste however can vary greatly depending on the species, particular tree, time of year and growing conditions. The haws are usually rather seedy, with the flavour described as a range of sweet, mealy, insipid, bitter, astringent, or even tasteless. As is usual with berries, frosts are known to increase the w=sweetness of the haws.

Historically, these berries were eaten fresh from the tree, or dried for winter use. They were often an addition to pemmican. The cooked pureed pulp (with the seeds removed) was dried and stored in cakes as berry-bread, which could be added to soup, or eaten with venison fat or marrow.

Haws are rich in pectin and if boiled with sugar can be a useful aid in getting jams and jellies to set without having to use a commercial product. Like rose hips to which they look very similar(THEY ARE IN THE ROSE FAMILY) can be steeped to make a pleasing tea or cold beverage.

The haws of English hawthorn are commonly called “Bread and Butter Berries” in the UK, likely because of the starchy and somewhat creamy texture of the fruit.

HAWTHORN FLOWERS AND FRUITS ARE FAMOUS IN HERBAL MEDICINE AS HEART TONICS THOUGH NOT ALL SPECIES ARE EQUALLY EFFECTIVE.

Description:

The hawthorn’s leaves are simple, and usually toothed or lobed. The white or pink flowers, usually in clusters, are followed by small apple like, red fruits, or more rarely by blue or black ones. Many cultivated varieties of hawthorn are now grown as ornamentals for their attractive flowers and fruits. Some species are characterized by horizontal branching, a growth habit considered to enhance their ornamental value.

Overview

Hawthorn (Crataegus species) has been used to treat heart disease as far back as the 1st century. By the early 1800s, American doctors were using it to treat circulatory disorders and respiratory illnesses. Traditionally, the berries were used to treat heart problems ranging from irregular heartbeat, high blood pressure, chest pain, hardening of the arteries, and heart failure. Today, the leaves and flowers are used medicinally, and there is some research that suggests that hawthorn might be effective when used in the treatment of mild to moderate heart failure, but there has not been enough research to know how effective it may be.

Animal and laboratory studies report hawthorn contains antioxidants, including oligomeric procyandins (OPCs, also found in grapes) and quercetin. Antioxidants are substances that destroy free radicals -- compounds in the body that damage cell membranes, tamper with DNA, and even cause cell death. Free radicals occur naturally in the body and grow in number as we age. Environmental toxins (including ultraviolet light, radiation, smoking, some medicines, and air pollution) can also increase the number of these damaging particles. Free radicals are believed to contribute to the aging process (such as wrinkling), as well as the development of a number of health problems, including cancer and heart disease. Antioxidants found in hawthorn may help stop some of the damage from free radicals, especially when it comes to heart disease.

Plant Description

Hawthorn is a common thorny shrub in the rose family that grows up to 5 feet tall on hillsides and in sunny wooded areas throughout the world. Its flowers bloom in May. They grow in small white, red, or pink clusters. Small berries, called haws, sprout after the flowers. They are usually red when ripe, but they may also be black. Hawthorn leaves are shiny and grow in a variety of shapes and sizes.

What's It Made Of?

Hawthorn contains many substances that MAY benefit the heart. These antioxidant flavonoids -- including OPCs -- may help dilate blood vessels, improve blood flow, and protect the blood vessels from damage.

The berries, leaves, and flowers of the hawthorn plant have been used for medicinal purposes. Most modern preparations use the leaves and flowers, which are believed to contain more of the flavonoids than the berries.

Medicinal Uses and Indications

Hawthorn is used to help protect against heart disease and help control high blood pressure and high cholesterol. Both, animal and human studies suggest hawthorn increases coronary artery blood flow, improves circulation, and lowers blood pressure. It has also been used on the skin to treat boils and skin sores.

Heart failure

Hawthorn has been studied in people with heart failure (a condition in which the heart is unable to pump enough blood to other organs in the body), but more studies are needed to understand how effective it may be. A number of studies conclude that hawthorn significantly improved heart function. Studies also suggest the herb can enhance a person's ability to exercise following heart failure. Participants in studies have reported that hawthorn significantly improved symptoms of the disease (such as shortness of breath and fatigue). One study found that hawthorn extract (900 mg/day) taken for 2 months was as effective as low doses of captopril (a prescription heart medication) in improving symptoms of heart failure.

A large study found that a standardized hawthorn supplement was effective in 952 patients with heart failure. The study compared conventional methods of treating heart failure (with different medications) with hawthorn alone and in addition to the drugs. After 2 years, the clinical symptoms of heart failure (palpitations, breathing problems, and fatigue) decreased significantly in the patients taking the hawthorn supplement. People taking hawthorn also took less medication for their condition.

Heart failure is a serious condition, and you should never try to self-treat with hawthorn. Ask your doctor if hawthorn is right for you.

Chest pain (Angina)

Preliminary evidence suggests hawthorn may help combat chest pain (angina), which is caused by low blood flow to the heart. In one early study, 60 people with angina were given either 180 mg/day of hawthorn berry leaf flower extract or placebo for 3 weeks. Those who received hawthorn experienced improved blood flow to the heart and were also able to exercise for longer periods of time without suffering from chest pain. However, more studies are needed to say for sure whether hawthorn is effective.

High blood pressure

Although hawthorn has not been studied specifically in people with high blood pressure, some people think its benefits in treating heart disease may carry over to treating high blood pressure (hypertension). However, so far not enough research has been done to say whether hawthorn is effective at lowering blood pressure -- and if so, by how much.

In one study, hawthorn extract was found to be effective for hypertension in people with type 2 diabetes who were also taking prescribed medicines. Participants took 1,200 mg hawthorn extract daily or placebo for 16 weeks. Those taking hawthorn had lower blood pressure than those taking the placebo.

You should talk with your doctor before taking hawthorn if you have high blood pressure.

Junipers (Juniperus communis)

Scientific classification

Kingdom:     Plantae

Division:       Pinophyta

Class:            Pinopsida

Order:            Pinales

Family:          Cupressaceae

Genus:          Juniperus

Species:        J. communis

Binomial name

Juniperus communis

Natural range:

Juniperus communis, the common juniper, is a species in the genus Juniperus, in the family Cupressaceae. It has the largest range of any woody plant, throughout the cool temperate Northern Hemisphere from the Arctic south in mountains to around 30°N latitude in North America, Europe and Asia.

It is is a shrub or small coniferous evergreen tree, very variable and often a low spreading shrub, but occasionally reaching a height of thirty feet. It has needle-like leaves in whorls of three; the leaves are green, with a single white stomatal band on the inner surface. It is dioeciously, with male and female cones on separate plants, which are wind pollinated.

The seed cones are berry-like, green ripening in 18 months to purple-black with a blue waxy coating; they are spherical, ¼ to ½ inch in diameter, and usually have three (occasionally six) fused scales, each scale with a single seed. The seeds are dispersed when birds eat the cones, digesting the fleshy scales and passing the hard seeds in their droppings. The male cones are yellow, ¼ inch long, and fall soon after shedding their pollen in March–April

Uses:

Crafts-It is too small to have any general lumber usage. In Scandinavia, however, juniper wood is used for making containers for storing small quantities of dairy products such as butter and cheese, and also for making wooden butter knives. It was also frequently used for trenails in wooden shipbuilding by shipwrights for its tough properties.

In Estonia juniper wood is valued for its long lasting and pleasant aroma, very decorative natural structure of wood (growth rings) as well as good physical properties of wood due to slow growth rate of juniper and resulting dense and strong wood. Various decorative items (often eating utensils) are common in most Estonian handicraft shops and households.

According to the old tradition, on Easter Monday Kashubian (Northern Poland) boys chase girls whipping their legs gently with juniper twigs. This is to bring good fortune in love to the chased girls.

Culinary:

Its astringent blue-black seed cones, commonly known as "juniper berries", are too bitter to eat raw and are usually sold dried and used to flavour meats, sauces, and stuffings. They are generally crushed before use to release their flavour. Since juniper berries have a strong taste, they should be used sparingly. It is claimed that some Native North American aboriginal tribes cooked juniper berries into a mush and dried them in cakes for winter use. Apparently, the berries were also dried whole and then ground into a meal that was used to make mush and cakes. And in times of famine, small pieces of the inner bark or a few berries could be chewed to supress hunger. It is claimed that aboriginal peoples also  roasted juniper berries and used them as a coffee substitute and teas were occasionally made from the stems, leaves and/or berries, but these CONSOCTIONS were usually used as medicines rather than as beverages. Juniper berry tea (or SNAKE OIL)  has been used, by aboriginals, to aid digestion, stimulate appetite, relieve colic and water retention, treat diarrhoea and heart, lung and kidney problems, prevent pregnancy, stop bleeding, reduce swelling and inflammation, and to calm hyperactivety-particularly among children.

The berries were c hewed to relieve cold symptoms, settle upset stomachs and increase appetite. Oil of Juniper(made from the berries and mixed with the EVER PRESENT animal fat to a salve that would protect wounds from irritation by flies

Juniper berries are reported to stimulate urination by irritating the kidneys and will give the urine a violet like fragrance They are also said to stimulate sweating, mucous secretion, production of hydrochloric acid in the stomach and contractions in the uterus and intestines. Some aboriginal studies have shown that juniper berries lower blood sugar and might be usefull in the treatment of insulin dependent diabetes. Juniper berries also have antiseptic qualities, and further studies by the National Cancer INsitute  have shown that some junipers contain antibiotic compounds that are active against tumours. And Strong juniper tea was used to sterilize needles and bandages during the Black Death in 14^th century Europe or so some aboriginal tribes claim. HOWEVER, they are generally used to enhance meat with a strong flavour, such as game, including game birds, or tongue.

The cones are used to flavour certain beers and gin (the word "gin" derives from an Old French word meaning "juniper). In Finland, juniper is used as a key ingredient in making sahti, a traditional Finnish ale. Also the Slovak alcoholic beverage Borovička and Dutch Genever are flavoured with juniper berry or its extract.

Traditional Medicine:

It is claimed that Native North Americans used juniper berries as a female contraceptive.

Dioscorides' De materia medica also lists juniper berries, when crushed and put on the penis or vagina before intercourse, as a contraceptive.   © Al (Alex-Alexander) D. Girvan. All rights reserved.

Arbutus (Arbutus menziesii

Arbutus (Arbutus menziesii)is to be noted because there are both Avenues and Streets in Vancouver British Columbia Canada that are so named.

The bark is thin, smooth, and reddish-brown, peeling in thin flakes or strips to expose younger, smooth, greenish to cinnamon-red bark underneath.

Arbutus is the only broad-leafed evergreen native to Canada!

It will grow up to ninety feet tall, usually with a crooked or leaning trunk that divides into several twisting upright branches and an irregularly rounded crown.

It is an extremely decorative tree that looks stunning, as if it belongs in the tropics (which it does) rather than in Coastal British Columbia.

Arbutus is found on sites that lack moisture, such as those with rocky or rapidly drained soils. Because it does not like shade, it generally occurs in clearings or on open rocky bluffs with other species such as Garry oak or Douglas-fir, oceanspray, Oregon-grape, baldhip rose, and several herbs and grasses.

Another common name is madrone, a Spanish word for the strawberry tree, of which arbutus is a close relative. The Scottish botanist Archibald Menzies first collected specimens in 1792.

Arbutus leaves and berries

Dark and glossy but pale underneath, 3 to 5inches long, thick, with a leathery texture.

Flowers

Dense clusters of urn-shaped white, waxy flowers drooping at the ends of twigs in April or May.

Arbutus flowers

Fruit

The fruit is berry-like, ¼ inch across, and bright reddish-orange, with a peel-like surface texture.

Where to Find:

Arbutus is restricted to a narrow band along the south coast and generally occurs within 5 miles of the ocean. It is often found on exposed rocky bluffs overlooking the ocean.

Uses:

Although people sometimes ate its berries because of the high tannin content [ Arbutus bark is very rich in a substance used for tanning hides.

The wood is heavy and hard, tends to be brittle, and cracks when drying. It is used only for woodworking in British Columbia.

The crushed berries can be made into a sweet cider or preserved as jelly. To store them over winter, they were first boiled, or steamed, and then dried. They were then soaked in warm water before being eaten.

A cider made from the berries was employed to stimulate the appetite. A supposed legend (there is always a legend, of some kind or other, connected with anything that is unique) has it that the Saanich who once lived on Southern Vancouver Island tied their canoes to arbutus trees following the Great Flood. It is claimed to this day some people descended from the Saanich will not burn arbutus wood because of the service it provided.

The flowers have a strong honey smell and are very attractive to bees. Fruit-eating birds such as waxwings and robins frequently eat the berries.
© Al (Alex-Alexander) D Girvan. All rights reserved.

What's in a Name?

Common names can be, often are, confusing especially, in North America, where things are seldom what you might believe. Sometimes—actually all too often the same common name can refer to a number of different--OR EVEN AN UNRELATED SPECIES. For example, bison are not buffalo, an elk should not be called a moose, a prong horn (which by the way does NOT have horns; should not be called an antelope, a wapiti should not be called an elk. When we are speaking plants, sometimes that unrelated species might be deadly poisonous; that is why we have proper and scientific names.

Yes, common names can be very confusing. Another good example is with the large variety of Vaccinium species we have here in British Columbia.

BLUEBERRIES, CRANBERRIES and huckleberries are all closely related plants in this plant family. In North America, there are approximately thirty five different , recognized, Vaccinium species, but hybridization is common in the genus so the true number is probably much greater.

As a general rule, the species of Vaccinium with blue fruits are called blueberries, and taller shrubs with fruits that aren’t blue are called HUCKLEBERRIES.

Shorter species, with red berries and a distinctive tart flavour are commonly referred to as CRANBERRIES. However, as previously explained common names do not follow any biological protocol and may not even make any sense. Mind you I will also admit that sometimes there is more than one scientific name—case in mind, commonly called “Bush” cranberries “High and Low-- that does not make any sense either. 

It is High time that we go back to using the ENGLISH language. “Bush” cranberries are in in the Honeysuckle family and are not “true” cranberries at all, despite the red colour and tart flavour. Now, and I have been distinguishing between the two all my life; I find that there is NO LOW BUS CRANBERRY—high and low are one and the same—go figure.

Pacific Crab Apple (Malus fusca)

This image was prepared by an employee of The USDA as a part of his or her normal job description;as such the image is in the Public Domain. No Copy Right.

A tree or multi-stemmed shrub that grows to 36 feet tall, armed with sharp thorn-like shoots and bearing showy white flowers from mid-April to early June; This is the only native apple tree in the province, but it may be mistaken for cultivated pear and apple trees that have overgrown or been abandoned.

Uses

The apples were an important fruit for all coastal people, who harvested them in the late summer and early fall and either ate them fresh or stored them(cooked or fresh) under water.. Traditionally, they were placed in cedar boxes, or large watertight baskets lined with skunk cabbage leaves and a layer of animal grease. Because of their acidity, the apples did not require further preservation but would become somewhat sweeter and softer over time

It is also commonly claimed that aboriginal Canadians did not own property; but, indeed these trees were widely managed, carefully guarded resource; that WERE OFTEN REGARDED AS PRIVATE PROPERTY.

Historically, boxes of Pacific crab apples were a common trade item and were also used as gifts at special events-even weddings. One report states that at the start of the 20^th century, one box of crab apples preserved in water might cost as much as ten pairs of Hudson’s Bay blankets, a significant value for the time of about $10.00 (do you know the price asked for a Hudson’s Bay Blanket now?). The fruit of Pacific crab apples is rich in pectin, so it can be added to low pectin fruits when making jams and jellies.

Pacific crab apple was also considered a fattening medicine and blood purifier. After a long day of hunting or work, the fruit was eaten to “kill poison in muscles”.

The deeply coloured wood is hard and somewhat flexible. Coastal people used it to make tool handles, bows, wedges, and digging sticks.

Bark:

Rough brown or greyish, older bark deeply fissured.

Leaves:

Alternate, deep-green, egg-shaped leaves grow up to 10 centimetres long. The edges are toothed along the irregular lobes.

Flowers:

White to pink, fragrant apple blossoms in a flat-topped cluster.

Fruit:

The yellow to purplish-red apples, about ¾ of an inch across,, are tart but edible. After a frost, they turn brown and soft.

Where to find Pacific Crab Apple

It is found on lakesides and stream banks along the coast, from sea level to mid elevations. Pacific crab apple grows on Vancouver Island but not on the Queen Charlotte Islands.

Habitat

Pacific Crab Apple grows in moist, open woodlands. It presents a delightful spring sight when in bloom along the edges of river mouths and stream banks.

© Al ( alex-Alexander) D Girvan. All Rights Reserved.

Currants

 Currants are very common and widespread throughout all of British Columbia. While all are considered edible, some are definitely tastier than others, and some (such as wax currant and sticky currant) are considered emetic in large quantities and best avoided if possible.

Currants are high in pectin and so make excellent jams and jellies that are delicious with meat, fish, bannock, fry-bread, scones.

Historically, currants were used to flavour liquors or fermented to make wine, but the raw currents generally tend to be very tart.

Wax Currents have been described as being tasteless, dry and seedy, even bitter.

Golden Currents are one of the flavourful and pleasant tasting currants. Some species such as stink currant have a skunky smell and flavour when raw but are delicious cooked.

Sticky Currant berries reportedly, were once highly valued by Haida and other of the extinct North West Aboriginal tribes, who collected large quantities to eat fresh with grease or oil (some say to prevent constipation or stomach cramps)

Wax Currants, it is claimed, were once used as a strengthening tonic and to treat diarrhoea.

Black Current seeds contain gamma linoleic acid, a fatty acid that has been used in the treatment of migraine headaches, diabetes, alcoholism, and eczema.

Some people believe that black current juice has a calming effect on hyper-active children. And in Europe, currant juice is taken as a natural remedy for ARTHRITIS

Northern Red Currant (Ribes triste) is, a low sprawling bush, often found in mossy woods and boggy places. The leaves are light green above, somewhat pale white and woolly underneath the flowers are brownish to purplish. The berries are bright red and sour, but good to eat. They are usually made into juice jelly or pudding.

Flowering Red Currant is commonly sold in garden centres in British Columbia as a decorative shrub. with flowers ranging from pure white to dark red.

Northern Black Currant (Ribes hudsonianum) berries are black, and the flowers are white; they grow on a bush 1-3 feet high, in moist woods along streams. The raw berry is a little bitter; the flavour is improved when it is diluted with water and made into juice or jelly. After the juice is strained, the remaining pulp can be used to make jam.    

©Al (Alex-Alexander) D Girvan. All rights reserved.

After a Disaster, in an Emergency, Your Campsite.

Often, you may not have a great deal of choice; but you will always have some.

Avoid: 

• Wind
• Steep mountain sides (rock falls)
• Poorly drained areas and marches (especially if you want to avoid mosquitoes).
• Keep in mind that, especially in winter, temperatures may vary greatly over a rather small area. Avoid valley bottoms as often they are colder than the higher ground (sides of the valley). But, In winter especially; avoid sloping terrain to avoid avalanches and stay away from the bottom of hollows, as they will, likely, soon be filled with snow  Of course, the warmest areas are near the sea but you will not usually have that choice.
• Beginning too late,setting camp and/or building a shelter. Begin before it gets dark and  before you get exhausted.
• And, if caught in a blizzard; find or make a shelter/snow cave ASAP or you will probably die. Never, never, attempt to travel in a blizzard. 

Keep Your Campsite in Order.

It is important to keep the camp tidy and your survival kit/equipment in one place, safely stored and within reach. Keep your equipment in the kit, or hang it up at the same spot every time after use. It is not funny running around looked for lost or damaged equipment, when it is needed or wanted. And, in a high stress situation, a tidy camp makes the whole situation a lot more pleasant and tolerable.

Latrine: seldom ever seen, you are not  likely to hear even mention of the word on one of those "reality" survival shows; but if you feel your situation is likely to last for more than one day, it is important to dig a latrine.

• Dig a hole in the ground about 18 inches wide, long and deep. Make sure that the contents of the latrine wont pollute nearby water sources and that it is downwind of your site. To keep smell and flies away, toss a little earth in the pit after use.
• It is also a good idea to keep aa kit for washing up at the site. Hygiene is important in the woods and in all disaster/emergency situations.
• When the  hole starts to become full, just fill it over, and dig a new one.
• No need for "polluting" the woods, your environment with a lot of brown and white, striped, paper; toilet paper is definitely not a necessity; in reality, one could use grass, leaves, ferns, or moss. In winter, one could use snow balls, just like real pioneer survivors. Don't worry about frostbite, it is not as cold as expected, not nearly enough to hurt you, unless your use an exceptionally long time to wipe 

©Al (Alex-Alexander) D Girvan. Al rights reserved.