The water doctor Sebastian Kneipp described blackthorn flowers as the gentlest laxative in the world. Hildegard von Bingen also used the delicate flowers of blackthorn as a versatile medicine.
What are blackthorn flowers good for?
Blackthorn flowers are a gentle laxative and tonic that is used for detoxification and blood purification. They contain radical scavengers and flavonoids that give the body new strength after the cold season. Dried blackthorn flowers can be used as a tea or in an elixir with white wine and honey.
Messengers of the approaching spring
The blackthorn produces numerous white flowers before the leaves emerge. They exude a gentle almond aroma and stand in attractive contrast to the almost black bark of the blackthorn. You can recognize a blackthorn flower by the five petals and around 20 slender stamens that are arranged in a circle around the style. In early spring, when a few plants have still developed their buds, they serve as a valuable source of food for bees and butterflies.
Many valuable ingredients
Popular saying:
“Eat the first three flowers of a blackthorn branchand stay safe from fever all year long!”
According to this folk wisdom, the blackthorn flowers, from which the aromatic stone fruits develop in autumn, are full of ingredients that give the body new strength after the cold season.
This is also scientifically proven. The radical scavengers and flavonoids contained in the sloe flower are responsible for the effect on the organism.
Using blackthorn flowers
You can collect blackthorn flowers from the end of March to the end of April. The aromatic sloe tea made from fresh flowers has a blood-cleansing and purifying effect. To dry, spread the delicate flowers out on a tea towel at room temperature.
Gentle tonic
If you feel weak and exhausted, an elixir made from blackthorn flowers can give you new strength.
- Place two handfuls of dried blackthorn flowers in a glass
- fill up with a fake white wine
- Add two tablespoons of honey
- close tightly
- shake lightly daily
- let it steep for at least a week
It is enough to enjoy a liqueur glass of the rich brew every day.
Tips & Tricks
The blackthorn is an important plant in mythology. The tangle of black sloe branches symbolizes the dark winter months, which are replaced by the flowers of the white spring goddess.
