Hawthorn Blood Red.

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Hawthorn Blood Red

A bush or small tree of the Rosaceae family, up to 5 m high. The shoots are purple-brown, shiny, covered with hard spines. Leaves are alternate, petiolate, obovate or broadly rhomboid, pointed; lobes serrate, short pubescent on both sides.

Blooms in May - June. The flowers are small, white, in dense thyroid inflorescences, with a weak specific odor. The fruit is blood-red, less often brownish, sweet and sour, with mealy pulp. Ripens at the end of August.

Blood-red hawthorn is common in the European part of Russia, Western Siberia and Kazakhstan. It is more often found in sparse dry forests, on the edges, clearings and along river floodplains.

The plant is frost-resistant. Does not require special cultivation techniques. They are cultivated in parks and squares far beyond their natural range. Propagated by seeds and shoots. Forms hedges.

Used in the national economy. Hard hawthorn wood is used to make turning products. The bark is used to dye fabrics red. The fruits are used to make jam, jelly, substitute coffee and tea. Dried berry flour is added to dough to create bread with a fruity flavor.

Flowers, fruits and leaves serve as medicinal raw materials. Hawthorn blooms very quickly, in 3-4 days. Flowers are harvested at the beginning of flowering, before they are all open. You should not pick them up after dew or rain, as they will darken when dried. Dry no later than 1-2 hours after collection in the attic, under a canopy or in a room with good ventilation, spreading it in a thin layer.

Drying rooms should be closed at night, as the raw materials are highly hygroscopic. Store in a closed box or glass container for 1 year. The fruits are harvested when fully ripe. Dry in an oven, in the sun or in a dryer at a temperature of 4°. 5О°С. The finished raw materials are winnowed, separating the stalks, defective berries and other impurities. Store in glass containers or tight bags for 2 years.

Hawthorn fruits contain sugars, organic (malic, citric, tartaric, ascorbic, etc.) and tri-terpene (oleanic, ursolic and crategic) acids, tannins, phytosterols, saponins, glycosides and carotene. Caffeic and chlorogenic acids, hyperoside, quercetin, acetylcholine, choline and trimethylamine were found in the flowers. In the cortex there is a glycoside esculin.

Hawthorn preparations are used for heart diseases, especially for fatigue of the heart muscle. They selectively dilate coronary vessels and cerebral vessels, reduce the excitability of the nervous system, increase the supply of oxygen to the heart and brain, improve metabolism, normalize heart rhythm, eliminate discomfort in the heart area, normalize sleep and general condition, and help speed up recovery after serious illnesses and lowering blood cholesterol levels.

With long-term use, a decrease in blood pressure is observed in the initial stages of hypertension. The positive effect of hawthorn has been noted for dizziness, shortness of breath, insomnia, and also when used during menopause.

A tincture of hawthorn fruit is prepared in 70% alcohol in a ratio of 1:10. It is a transparent yellowish-red liquid. Take it 20-30 drops 3-4 times a day before meals. To prepare the infusion, pour 1 tablespoon of flowers into 1 glass of hot water, leave for 10-15 minutes, filter and take 1/2 glass 2-3 times a day 30 minutes before meals.

When using fruits, they are first crushed, poured with a glass of hot water, boiled for 10 minutes, left for 30 minutes, filtered and taken 1/3-1/2 cup 2-3 times a day 30 minutes before meals. Store in the refrigerator for no more than a day. The industry produces w