Beltane Herbs: Hawthorn, Rose & Woodruff

BY NICOLE LAU

The Power of Beltane Herbs

Herbs have been central to Beltane celebrations for centuries, used for love magic, fertility rituals, protection, and honoring the sacred union of Goddess and God. Beltane herbs carry the energy of peak spring—some (like hawthorn and rose) are fragrant flowers representing love and fertility, while others (like woodruff and rowan) are protective plants that guard against negative forces during this liminal time when the veil is thin. Working with these plants engages all senses, creating a full-body experience of the season's magic and grounding our celebrations in the natural world.

The three primary Beltane herbs—hawthorn, rose, and woodruff—represent the sabbat's essential energies: fertility and faery magic (hawthorn), love and passion (rose), and protection and victory (woodruff). Together with supporting botanicals, they create a complete herbal toolkit for honoring May Day, working fire and fertility magic, and celebrating the sacred marriage that ensures the land's abundance.

This guide provides comprehensive information about Beltane herbs, their magical properties, traditional uses, safety considerations, and practical applications for ritual, manifestation, and celebration.

The Sacred Three: Hawthorn, Rose & Woodruff

Hawthorn: The May Tree and Faery Guardian

Botanical name: Crataegus (various species, especially C. monogyna and C. laevigata)

Appearance: Small tree or large shrub with thorny branches. White or pink five-petaled flowers bloom in May (hence "May blossom"). Red berries (haws) in autumn. Deeply lobed leaves. Strong, sweet fragrance.

Magical properties:

• Fertility and abundance
• Faery magic and protection
• Love and marriage
• Purification and cleansing
• Protection and warding
• Wishes and manifestation
• Sacred to the Goddess
• Threshold and liminal magic

Beltane uses:

• THE flower of Beltane: Blooms exactly at May Day
• Faery tree: Sacred to the Good Folk, use with respect
• Fertility: Powerful fertility and abundance magic
• Love: Attracts love and blesses marriages
• Protection: Guards against negative forces
• May decorations: Traditional for May altars and homes
• Threshold: Perfect for liminal Beltane energy

How to work with hawthorn:

• Gather blossoms for Beltane altar (with permission and respect)
• Wear flowers in hair or as garland
• Decorate home with branches
• Use in fertility and love spells
• Leave offerings at hawthorn trees for faeries
• Burn dried flowers for purification
• Make hawthorn water for ritual use

Hawthorn fertility spell:

1. Gather hawthorn blossoms (ask permission first)
2. Create small bouquet
3. Hold in both hands
4. Say:
   "Hawthorn white, blooming in May,
   Bring fertility on this Beltane day.
   Sacred to faeries, blessed by the Goddess,
   Grant my wish for fruitfulness.
   As you bloom in spring's full power,
   Bless me in this sacred hour."
5. Place on altar or hang in bedroom
6. Leave offering at hawthorn tree

Safety considerations:

• Generally safe for most people
• Berries and flowers have medicinal uses (heart health)
• Consult healthcare provider before internal use
• Some consider it unlucky to bring indoors (faery tree)
• Always ask permission before harvesting
• Never cut down a hawthorn tree (faery wrath)

Harvesting and storing:

• Harvest flowers in May when fully open
• Pick in morning after dew dries
• Ask permission and leave offering
• Dry by laying flat in dark, ventilated space
• Store dried flowers in airtight container
• Use within 1 year for best properties

Rose: The Queen of Flowers and Love

Botanical name: Rosa (many species and varieties)

Appearance: Woody perennial shrub with thorny stems and compound leaves. Flowers range from white to pink to red. Five petals in wild roses, many more in cultivated varieties. Intensely fragrant. Blooms in late spring through summer.

Magical properties:

• Love (all forms)
• Passion and sexuality
• Beauty and youth
• Divination and psychic abilities
• Healing and health
• Protection and blessing
• Luck and good fortune
• The Goddess (especially Aphrodite/Venus)

Beltane uses:

• Love and passion: Perfect for Beltane's themes
• Sacred union: Honors Goddess and God's marriage
• Beauty: Enhances beauty and youthfulness
• Red roses: Passion and sexual love
• Pink roses: Romance and gentle love
• White roses: Purity and spiritual love
• Thorns and petals: Balance of opposites

How to work with rose:

• Fresh roses on Beltane altar
• Rose petals in ritual baths
• Wear rose oil for attraction
• Burn dried petals for love magic
• Make rose water for ritual use
• Drink rose tea for love and divination
• Scatter petals in bedroom

Rose passion ritual:

1. Gather red rose petals
2. Draw warm bath
3. Add rose petals to water
4. Light red candles
5. Enter bath with intention
6. Say:
   "Rose petals, red and sweet,
   Awaken passion, make me complete.
   By Beltane's fire and sacred union,
   Passion flows in perfect communion.
   As Goddess and God in love unite,
   My passion burns forever bright."
7. Soak for at least 20 minutes
8. Emerge feeling passionate and alive

Safety considerations:

• Generally very safe for most people
• Culinary use is safe (rose water, rose tea)
• Essential oil should be diluted
• Watch for thorns when harvesting
• Some people may have pollen allergies

Harvesting and storing:

• Harvest flowers in morning after dew dries
• Pick when partially open for drying
• Dry by hanging or laying flat
• Store dried petals in airtight container away from light
• Retains properties for 1 year

Woodruff: The Sweet Victory Herb

Botanical name: Galium odoratum (formerly Asperula odorata)

Appearance: Low-growing perennial ground cover with whorls of lance-shaped leaves. Small white star-shaped flowers in late spring. Sweet, hay-like scent when dried (coumarin). Spreads readily in shade.

Magical properties:

• Victory and success
• Protection and warding
• Prosperity and money drawing
• Love and attraction
• Psychic abilities
• Peace and calm
• Overcoming obstacles
• Beltane celebrations

Beltane uses:

• Traditional May wine: Woodruff steeped in white wine
• Victory: Success in new ventures
• Protection: Guards during liminal Beltane time
• Prosperity: Attracts abundance
• Love: Gentle love attraction
• May Day: Traditional Beltane herb

How to work with woodruff:

• Make May wine (traditional Beltane drink)
• Carry for victory and success
• Use in prosperity spells
• Burn for protection
• Add to love sachets
• Place in wallet for money drawing
• Hang in home for protection

Woodruff success spell:

1. Gather fresh or dried woodruff
2. Place in small green bag
3. Add coin and written goal
4. Hold in both hands
5. Say:
   "Woodruff sweet, herb of victory,
   Bring success and prosperity.
   By Beltane's power, abundant and bright,
   My goals manifest in the light.
   Obstacles fall, success is mine,
   By this herb and sacred sign."
6. Carry sachet until goal achieved

Safety considerations:

• Generally safe in small amounts
• Contains coumarin (blood thinner in large amounts)
• Avoid if on blood-thinning medication
• Avoid during pregnancy
• Traditional May wine uses small amounts (safe)
• Don't consume in large quantities

Harvesting and storing:

• Harvest in late spring when flowering
• Pick in morning after dew dries
• Dry by hanging in bundles
• Sweet scent develops as it dries
• Store in airtight container
• Use within 1 year

Supporting Beltane Herbs

Rowan: The Protection Tree

Properties: Protection, psychic abilities, healing, success

Beltane uses:

• Powerful protection against negative forces
• Guards against faery mischief
• Enhances psychic abilities
• Traditional May Day decoration
• Hang branches over doors

Birch: The Tree of New Beginnings

Properties: New beginnings, purification, fertility, protection

Beltane uses:

• New beginnings and fresh starts
• Purification and cleansing
• Fertility magic
• Traditional maypole wood
• Branches for decoration

Primrose: The First Rose

Properties: Youth, love, protection, faery magic

Beltane uses:

• Yellow flowers honor sun and fire
• Love and attraction
• Youth and beauty
• Attracts faeries
• Traditional May decoration

Basil: The Royal Herb

Properties: Prosperity, love, protection, purification

Beltane uses:

• Prosperity and abundance
• Love and fidelity
• Protection for new ventures
• Fresh spring herb
• Add to Beltane feast

Mint: The Prosperity Herb

Properties: Prosperity, purification, healing, energy

Beltane uses:

• Money drawing and prosperity
• Fresh spring energy
• Healing and health
• Purification
• Refreshing Beltane tea

Creating Beltane Herbal Blends

Beltane Love Incense

Ingredients:

• 2 parts rose petals
• 2 parts hawthorn flowers
• 1 part woodruff
• 1 part basil
• 1/2 part cinnamon (powdered)

Instructions:

1. Grind herbs with mortar and pestle
2. Mix thoroughly while setting intention
3. Store in airtight jar
4. Burn on charcoal for love magic

Fertility and Abundance Blend

Ingredients:

• 3 parts hawthorn flowers
• 2 parts rose petals
• 1 part basil
• 1 part mint

Use: Burn for fertility magic or add to spell jars

Beltane Protection Sachet

Ingredients:

• Rowan berries or leaves
• Hawthorn flowers
• Woodruff
• Basil

Instructions:

1. Combine in small red cloth bag
2. Tie with white ribbon
3. Hang on door or carry for protection

May Wine (Traditional Beltane Drink)

Ingredients:

• 1 bottle white wine
• 1/4 cup fresh woodruff (or 2 tablespoons dried)
• 2 tablespoons honey
• Strawberries for garnish

Instructions:

1. Combine wine, woodruff, and honey
2. Let steep 30 minutes to 2 hours
3. Strain out woodruff
4. Chill
5. Serve with strawberries
6. Toast to Beltane!

Herbal Rituals for Beltane

Three-Flower Beltane Ritual

What you'll need:

• Hawthorn (fertility)
• Rose (love)
• Primrose (youth)
• Red candle
• Fireproof bowl

Process:

1. Light red candle
2. Burn hawthorn first: "I honor fertility and abundance"
3. Burn rose second: "I open my heart to love and passion"
4. Burn primrose third: "I celebrate youth and new beginnings"
5. Visualize Beltane blessings
6. Say: "By the sacred union of Goddess and God, blessed be this Beltane."
7. Let candle burn completely

Rose Passion Bath

What you'll need:

• Fresh or dried rose petals
• Epsom salt
• Rose essential oil (optional)
• Red candles

Process:

1. Draw warm bath
2. Add Epsom salt and rose petals
3. Add few drops rose oil if using
4. Light red candles around tub
5. Enter water with intention
6. Say: "Rose petals, awaken passion within me. By Beltane's fire, I am alive with desire."
7. Soak for at least 20 minutes
8. Emerge feeling passionate

Hawthorn Faery Offering

What you'll need:

• Hawthorn tree
• Milk or cream
• Honey cakes
• Fresh flowers

Process:

1. Find hawthorn tree
2. Approach with respect
3. Leave offerings at base
4. Say: "Good Folk who dwell in hawthorn tree, I honor you on Beltane. Accept these offerings with my respect. Bless my life and keep me safe."
5. Back away respectfully
6. Don't thank them (implies debt)

Harvesting, Drying, and Storing Beltane Herbs

Ethical Harvesting

• Never take more than 1/3 of any plant
• Ask permission before harvesting
• Leave offerings (water, honey, gratitude)
• Harvest sustainably from abundant populations
• Consider growing your own herbs
• Purchase from ethical sources when needed
• NEVER cut down hawthorn trees

Drying Flowers and Herbs

1. Harvest on dry day after morning dew has evaporated
2. For flowers: pick when partially open
3. Tie small bundles with string
4. Hang upside down in dark, well-ventilated space
5. Avoid direct sunlight (degrades properties)
6. Dry for 1-2 weeks until crispy
7. Store in airtight containers away from light

Storage

• Use glass jars with tight lids
• Label with herb name and harvest date
• Store in cool, dark place
• Most dried flowers retain potency for 1 year
• Refresh annually, returning old herbs to earth with gratitude

Safety and Respect

General Safety Guidelines

• Research any herb before internal use
• Consult healthcare provider if pregnant, nursing, or on medications
• Start with small amounts to test for allergies
• Keep herbs away from children and pets
• Use only food-grade herbs for teas or cooking
• Burn herbs in well-ventilated spaces
• Never leave burning herbs unattended

Respecting Plant Spirits and Faeries

• Approach herbs as allies, not just tools
• Thank plants before and after use
• Work with intention and respect
• Build relationships with plants over time
• Listen to how each herb wants to work with you
• Honor the wisdom plants carry
• Respect faery trees (hawthorn, elder, blackthorn)
• Leave offerings when harvesting

Final Thoughts: Floral Allies for Fire and Fertility

Beltane herbs are some of our most powerful allies in celebrating May Day and the sacred union of Goddess and God. Hawthorn brings fertility and faery blessings, rose embodies love and passion, and woodruff grants victory and protection. Together with supporting botanicals, they create a fragrant, powerful toolkit for honoring the season's sacred fire and welcoming summer's abundance.

Start simply—perhaps with rose petals from a bouquet, hawthorn blossoms gathered respectfully, or woodruff from your garden. As you work with these plants, you'll develop relationships and preferences. Some people resonate deeply with rose's passion; others prefer hawthorn's faery magic. Trust your connection to each plant.

These herbs carry ancient wisdom in their petals and leaves. When you burn hawthorn at Beltane, you join countless ancestors who did the same. When rose brings love, you access the same floral magic sought by practitioners for thousands of years. The plants remember, even when we forget. Let them teach you.

The fires burn bright. The flowers are blooming. Let them guide you through passion and into abundance. Blessed Beltane. 🔥🌸🌿✨