HAWTHORN 179 
Cecidomyta crategt. The fungi Polystegma rubrum, Tympanis con- 
spersa, Phleospora oxyacanthe infest it. 
The insects Leopard Moth (Zeuzera esculi), Penthina pruniana, 
Priobium castaneum, Otiorhynchus picipes, Trichiosoma trbialis, Put- 
vinaria vitis, Mytilaspis pomorum, Lecanium capreea, Aphis crategt, 
Psylla crategt feed on the Hawthorn. 
Crategus, Theophrastus, is the Greek name of the plant. Oxzya- 
cantha, Dioscorides, is from oxys, sharp, acanthos, thorn, and Hawthorn 
means hedgethorn. 
It is called Agald, Agarves, Aggle, Albespyne, Aglet, Aubepyne, 
Azzy-tree, Bird Eagles, Birds’ Meat, Bread-and-Cheese, Bulls, Butter- 
and- Bread, Chaws, Cheese and Bread, Chucky-cheese, Cuckoo's 
Beads, Cuckoo's Bread-and-Cheese, Eglet, Eglet Bloom, Glaston- 
bury Thorn, God’s Meat, Greens, Haa, Hagga, Haggils, Hagthorn, 
Hagues, Halves, Harsy, Harve, Hathorn, Hawberry, Haws, Haw- 
bus, Hawen, Haw-gaws, Bull-haws, Butter and Cat Haws, Hawses, 
Hawthorn, Haw-tree, Haythorn, Hazel, Hazzy Tree, Hedge-thorn, 
Hipperty Haws, Hog-arves, Hogberry, Hog-gazels, Howes, Johny 
Macgorey, May, May Bush, Pegy at Bush, Pigall, Pig Haw, Pig's 
Hales, Pixie Pears, Quick, Quickset, Quickwood, Sates, Thorn, Thorn- 
berries, Whicks, White Thorn, Wick, Wickens. 
The planted thorns are called Quicks to distinguish them from rails 
and dead fences. Quickset means a hedge set with quicks, and so 
does Quickwood. Albespyne is from a/a spzna, meaning white thorn. 
“And there the Jewes maden him a crowne of the branches of albe- 
spyne, that is white thorn.” The name Bread-and-Cheese is given 
because the young shoots are eaten in spring by children. The name 
Glastonbury Thorn refers to the variety supposed to have sprung up 
at Glastonbury from the staff of Joseph of Arimathea which produces 
its blossoms on Christmas Day. It is called May because it usually 
flowers (in England) during that month. 
Lonely thorns in fields that do not grow larger are said to be 
bewitched, and they must not be approached at night. A fiery wheel 
comes from the bush which will destroy you if it comes near you. It 
was said to be sprung from lightning. It is widely revered and 
associated with marriage rites. The bride was decked with May 
blossom in Greece. Torches lighting the bridal couple to the nuptial 
chamber were made of it. It is supposed to have formed the Crown 
of Thorns. 
In Ireland it is unlucky to cut it down, as the fairies there protect 
it. To gather leaves of the tree is considered unsafe. But to burn it 
