Hawthorn
Crataegus spp.
Berry, leaf and flower · cooling · astringent · tonic
The sour heart-berry of the hedgerow — astringent, food-like, and long-used.
In the mouth
How it tastes
Leaf and flower: mild, slightly sweet or green-tea. Berry: mildly sweet-tart, apple, a little mealy.
Traditional use
Sour blood’s plant: it draws, binds, and was given as a gentle heart and circulation tonic. Berries in jelly and wine; leaf and flower in tea. Air’s work on the vessels.
In the cup
1 tsp dried berry, decocted 10 minutes, or leaf-and-flower steeped 10. Pleasant enough to drink daily for a stretch in the old way.
Story
The heart-berry of the hedge. May-blossom and winter fruit — a tree that keeps a door.
Hearth working
A few berries in the winter sour pot. A thorned sprig is an old ‘this threshold is kept’ mark.
Blood
Sour blood · sour
Sour is cooling and astringent. It draws and binds, thickens thin blood, starts saliva, and hydrates even as it tightens. Sour plants carry the antioxidants of fruit. They move mucous and support the lungs — large doses irritate. Lemon-family plants show up again and again in sinus cups.
Read sour bloodReached for
Who it feeds
The living bloom
Red-spotted Purple, Striped Hairstreak, Waved Sphinx, Blinded Sphinx
The promise
A careful hand
Ordinary tea for a healthy adult.
Generally well-tolerated. Can keep company with heart medicines and blood-pressure medicines — if those are in the house, ask the person who prescribed them. Pregnancy: confirm with a provider.
Read the whole promiseSits well with
Rosehip
Rosa canina
The autumn fruit of the rose — a sour pantry vitamin.
Chill & congestion · Hollow energy · Irritable skin
Brighten, circulate, and clear
Hibiscus
Hibiscus sabdariffa
A crimson sour that drinks like a summer cooler and a winter tonic.
Feverish & flushed · Cold hands & sluggish blood · Dull focus
Brighten, circulate, and clear
Lemon
Citrus limon
The bright slice that finishes almost every stillroom cup.
Chill & congestion · Indigestion · Sore throat
Brighten, circulate, and clear
Traditional kitchen and folk use only. This is not medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. If you are pregnant, nursing, on medicine, or unwell, ask a clinician before drinking anything as a remedy.