Witnessed by: TCM
Hawthorn (Crataegus pinnatifida), of the Rosaceae family. Small thorny deciduous tree of hills and thickets; native range: northern China and the northeast. Globally recognized as shan zha (山楂) in Chinese, and Chinese hawthorn, mountain haw in English. The part used is fruit. Round red fruit sliced and dried, sharply sour then sweet, slightly warming.
In this cross-tradition database, we analyze how this substance operates across world medicine systems — tracking its traditional tastes, temperatures, tissue affinities, post-digestive effects, and planetary correspondences across Ayurveda, Unani, and Western herbalism.
HAWTHORN
IDENTITY
Name
- Common
- hawthorn
- Scientific name
- Crataegus pinnatifida Bunge
- Family
- Rosaceae
Form
- Part used
- fruit
PROPERTIES
Nature
Taste
how the plant declares itself on the tongue
- TCM
- sour · sweet
Temperature
- TCM
- warm (slightly)
Affinity
where in the body it travels
Organs / channels
- TCM
- Spleen · Stomach · Liver
PRACTICE
Virtue
Actions
- TCM
- reduces food stagnation and accumulation, transforms blood stasis and dissipates clumps, moves the qi and stops pain
Cautions
- Contraindications
- caution in Spleen-Stomach deficiency without food stagnation and in excess stomach acid
- Toxicity
- large or prolonged doses may injure the teeth and the qi and aggravate acid reflux
This is the card. Sign in for the full four-tradition entry — the aligned TCM · Ayurveda · Western · Unani reading, actions, dosing and cautions.