Why Herbalists Use Hawthorn for Heartbreak and Heart Disease with Betzy Bancroft

What if working with hawthorn isn’t just about supporting your cardiovascular system, but also about influencing how your body expresses health at the deepest level?

In this heartfelt conversation, I’m joined by herbalist Betzy Bancroft to explore the many layers of hawthorn (Crataegus spp.)—a plant that nourishes and protects the heart in more ways than one. Though hawthorn is widely known for supporting cardiovascular health, Betzy shares how its effects go far deeper, helping regulate gene expression, improving flexibility of the blood vessels, and overall supporting the body’s natural resilience.

At the same time, this beloved plant offers profound emotional medicine. Betzy shares how hawthorn can help soften grief, ease emotional tension, and encourage us to stay open-hearted while also maintaining healthy boundaries. Whether you’re seeing physical nourishment or emotional resilience, hawthorn is a true ally for the heart on every level.

Betzy also shares so many ways to work with hawthorn! She includes her recipe for a delicious, warming Hawthorn Cordial; you can download a beautifully-illustrated recipe card here.

By the end of this episode, you’ll know:

► What makes hawthorn such a wonderful tonic for the cardiovascular system

► The fascinating way that hawthorn influences your body’s own ability to react to oxidative stress

► Practical tips for extracting hawthorn effectively (and why preparation matters!)

► Why consistency is key when working with hawthorn

► Eleven different (delicious!) ways to bring hawthorn into your daily life

► and so much more…

For those of you who don’t know her, Betzy Bancroft has been teaching herbal medicine making for more than three decades at herbalism schools and events. Betzy is one of the founders of the Vermont Center for Integrative Herbalism, where she teaches classes including medicine making and formulation, and is a mentor for clinical interns. She also teaches and often leads herb walks at Sage Mountain Botanical Sanctuary. She is a professional member of the American Herbalists Guild and serves on the advisory board of United Plant Savers. Her book, Herbal Pharmacy, will be out in April of 2026.

Whether you’re drawn to hawthorn for its cardiovascular or emotional support, this is a plant that invites a lifelong relationship—one cup, one sip, one season at a time. However you choose to work with hawthorn, may it support you in cultivating a heart that is steady, resilient, and deeply alive.

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Get full show notes, transcript, and more information at: herbswithrosaleepodcast.com

Would you prefer watching this episode? If so, click here for the video.

You can find Betzy at HerbalPharmacyBook.com.

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On the podcast, we explore the many ways plants heal, as food, as medicine, and through nature connection. Each week, I focus on a single seasonal plant and share trusted herbal knowledge so that you can get the best results when using herbs for your health.

Learn more about Herbs with Rosalee at herbswithrosalee.com.

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Rosalee is an herbalist and author of the bestselling book Alchemy of Herbs: Transform Everyday Ingredients Into Foods & Remedies That Heal and co-author of the bestselling book Wild Remedies: How to Forage Healing Foods and Craft Your Own Herbal Medicine. She's a registered herbalist with the American Herbalists Guild and teaches many popular online courses. Read about how Rosalee went from having a terminal illness to being a bestselling author in her full story here.