Huathe Symbol:

Sound value: H

Literal meaning: Terrible

Pronounced as

“OO-ah”

Northwest Europe

HAWTHORN

(Crataegus monogyna & oxyacantha)

Features: Deciduous, fast growing & thorned (Rose Family)

Uses: Burns well, good hedging. Medicinal uses

North Central Florida

HAWTHORN

(Crataegus uniflora M.)

Features: Deciduous small shrub or tree with thorns (Rose Family)

Uses: NA

Hawthorn (Crataegus uniflora M.), Gainesville, Florida

Modern divinatory meaning: Patience, restriction, protection from inner realms; door to Otherworld

Animal symbolism (based on traditional lore): sheep

Bird symbolism (based on traditional lore): raven

Associated deities: Flora, Olwen, Blodeuwedd, Hera, Cardea, Hymen

Color: deep violet

Element: Fire

Calendar: Huathe is associated with the sixth lunar month of the Celtic year, April. (Using the Celtic tree calendar system that has 13 ‘months’ starting in November, as popularized by Liz and Colin Murray. Other calendars are also used, most notably the calendar devised by the poet Robert Graves in his 1948 book White Goddess.)

Folklore

Hawthorn is also known as whitethorn (for the white bark) or may (for when the flowers bloom). Many northern European sayings with ‘may’ in them are actually talking about the hawthorn flower.

The hawthorn blooms in what is now April, but is associated more with the month of May. (The Gregorian calendar was adopted by Great Britain in 1752 – to synchronize with western Europe- and advanced the calendar 11 days. So in England the hawthorn now blooms later in May, or the middle of June in the Scottish Highlands.)

In Gaelic countries hawthorn marks the entrance to the underworld, and is strongly associated with fairies. Often found at holy wells or growing alone they are known as ‘faerie trees’, and used to tie cloth clooties for supplications. (‘Cloots’ is an old name for clothes.) It is still considered unlucky to cut down a hawthorn tree.

Hawthorn blossoms are used in garlands to adorn the outside of houses (inside is considered unlucky), and maypoles.

The spring goddess Blodeuwedd was created from flowers, and in her form as the May Queen is adorned with hawthorn flowers.

The Christian legend of the Glastonbury Thorn states that Joseph of Aritmathea came to Glastonbury and rested his staff, which overnight took root and became a hawthorn tree in flower. Other species of hawthorns have related legends- that it was the tree that Moses spoke to god through, and formed the crown of thorns used in Jesus’ crucifixion.

Hawthorn branches were carried by the ancient Greeks and Romans in wedding ceremonies. The mayflower tree (hawthorn) was thought to symbolize hope; it was the name the Pilgrims chose for their ship, the Mayflower.

To learn more:

Tree Lore: Hawthorn– OBOD

Crataegus – Wikepedia

Hawthorn– Axis Mundi

Huathe Symbol:

Main Ogam Page