Black Hawthorn

Black Hawthorn (Crataegus douglasii)

I saw this in shrub form out at Mahood Lake but then found it as a small tree growing by our own lake ... my eye was drawn to the fruit. Funny how I missed seeing it in flower and we walk that way often!

2009 August 27

2009 August 16

2009 August 16

2009 August 16

The fruits are seedy but were used medicinally, mostly for diarrhea. The bark also was used to treat diarrhea, dysentery and stomach aches and pains.

2009 August 16

The wood of this plant is very hard and fine grained used by First Nations for tool handles and weapons.

2009 August 18

The spines had a variety of uses: like a needle to probe skin blisters and boils, piercing ears, fish hooks, etc.

Some people use this as a hedging plant to create a "fence with thorns".