Many of you know how important the shamrock plant and its clover leaf are to the Irish, especially around St. Patrick’s Day. It was said that St. Patrick used the three leaflets of the clover to illustrate the Holy Trinity and has undoubtedly become a symbol of all things Irish. But there is more lore surrounding leprechauns, fairies and, believe it or not, it’s the Hawthorn tree.

Most of the woody members of the rose family are armed with prickles or spines. The flowers are frequently brightly colours and showy and the fruit varies from cherries, to apples, strawberries and raspberry types. Many of the members of this family are also used for medicine, essential oils and ornamentals. In the Emerald Isle (Ireland), the hawthorns have a more mystical dimension. To those living years ago and those that still subscribe to Irish lore they are considered sacred trees and in Gaelic are called Sceach Gheal. The Celtic people also have a tree alphabet or horoscope and the hawthorn or Huath is the sixth symbol. They consider them the homes of fairies or Sidhe because they bloom at the time of the festival of Bealtaine. This Celtic festival marks the beginning of summer and on the ancient Celtic calendar is a Cross Quarter Day, half way between the Spring Equinox and the Summer Solstice.

Today, it is associated with May 1 despite the actual astronomical date several days later. In Irish mythology, this was marked by the Fire Festival of Bealtaine, where great bonfires would mark a period of transition and purification complete with rituals to protect people from harm by otherworldly spirits. According to folklore, the hawthorn tree should never be injured or killed lest they risk the wrath of the fairies. In fact, in Ireland, there have been bitter disputes over re-routing roads to avoid removal of hawthorn trees. Even today those that believe will hang cards, ornaments and even pieces of clothing in hawthorn trees in order to gain the favour of the fairies, so wishes may be granted. Here on the prairies, hawthorns (Crataegus spp.) are a shrubby tree with long thorns. They provide flowers for pollinators and the crabapple-like fruit for birds and other animals. Despite being quite rare, they are native to our area. There have also been some lovely hawthorns bred over the years. The Morden hawthorn is a very strong, almost maintenance free small tree with fewer thorns, fragrant flowers and very little fruit making it a very clean tree for around decks and patios.

So, for those of us that are Irish — and those that would like to be — perhaps you should plant a hawthorn tree or two. If you are lucky enough to have a hawthorn tree, perhaps it might be a good idea to hang some offerings on your hawthorn to gain the favour of the fairies.

(Hanbidge is the Lead Horticulturist with Orchid Horticulture. Find us at www.orchidhort.com; by email at info@orchidhort.com; on Facebook @orchidhort and on Instagram at #orchidhort. Tune into GROW Live on our Facebook page https://www. facebook.com/orchidhort or check out the YouTube channel GROW… https://www.youtube.com /channel/ UCzkiUpkvyv2e2HCQlFl0JyQ?)

– Patricia Hanbridge