RosACEAE + Grief

Rose Family Sorrow Support

*The herbs mentioned have many other indications, I was focusing on grief-relief.
Herbs work best used over a longer period of time to help build up health, rather than acutely.
Plant bath in the Southern Appalachian forest.
In honour of growth and renewal for the Beltane Scorpio full moon.
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A note on grief:
Grief lives deep within the body. Its roots branch and anchor into all our parts. It can feel endless and use up all our energy. It is non linear, comes in waves and can show up as a dull ache, or intensely and all consuming. It is a slow, tough teacher. I have not felt pain comparable to the deep wound of grief; the ache of mourning. It seems like right now there is a lot of personal and collective grief being shared and the Rose family can be our ally and companion through these times. It makes my heart full that so many of our heart tenders are Rose family herbs. They help build a sense of safety you can lean into. They are cooling, calming, and soothing and help move and extinguish heat in the body. Each of the Rosaceae plants has its own very unique feel and personality. I’ve listed four below that aid in times of intense loss, sadness, grief, and emotional pain.

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Hawthorn, Crataegus spp., is the ultimate heart tonic. It is used widely for both the physical and emotional heart. It is a chest softner that supports emotional, spiritual, and physical healing during grief, heartbreak, rejection, and loss. It acts as a gentle, nourishing nervine to ease anxiety and agitation, mend a broken heart, build up self-love, and provide emotional protection. Hawthorn’s berries, leaves and flowers are rich in bioflavonoids, antioxidants, and procyanidins, which tonify the heart. Hawthorn has a modulating effect on the heart by stimulating or depressing activity. Hawthorn strengthens the heart muscle, regulates blood pressure, dilate blood vessels, and opens circulation throughout the body and to the brain. It can be used for heart palpitations and heart weakness. It helps the heart to uptake oxygen and use it efficiently. Hawthorn supports our nervous system by easing the nerves, anxiety, brain fog, and feelings of agitation. It can also be helpful for people who are have a hard time sleeping due to grief or anxiety. It has thorns that are long, sharp, and plentiful that protect the flowers and berries. This energy is embodied in the medicine by helping with protection, boundaries, courage and tenderness.

*Eden Blooms (JeffcoBeacon) has a lot of wonderful things to say about the energetics of Hawthorn, I kept the words
-“Hawthorn grows along forest edges, a transitional zone where sunlight increases, plant diversity expands, and wildlife finds refuge. Forest edges are places of merging—neither fully open nor fully enclosed. These edges remind me of the emotional thresholds we inhabit as humans: grief lives here and so does healing.”
-“I’m reminded that boundaries are not barriers to love, they are the structures that allow love to bloom safely.”
-“Beyond its physical medicine, Hawthorn offers emotional and cultural medicine. Ethnobotany teaches us that plants are not just biological organisms; they are woven into our stories, our grief rituals, our ways of making meaning. Hawthorn has been used in protective charms, boundary‑setting rituals, and ceremonies honoring the dead. Its presence at the forest edge mirrors its role in our emotional landscapes: a guardian of thresholds, a witness to transformation.”
-“Hawthorn teaches that grief is not a sign of weakness but a sign of connection. It reminds us that healing is not linear, that protection and tenderness can coexist, and that the edges, those messy transitional spaces, are often where life is most resilient.”
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Rosa, Rosa spp., is a long time, potent plant ally, used to promote both grief and joy. It is well known as a love tonic, however, love and grief are inextricably connected. Rose moves built up emotions, brings comfort, and softens heart tension. Rose is great for grief and emotional trauma. It acts as a cardio-tonic to soothe heartache and is helpful for opening communication, promoting emotional release, and reducing tension.
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Peach leaf, Prunus persica, is a gentle herb used traditionally in Southern folk medicine to support deep grief and distress. It is a sedative, relaxing nervine that soothes the emotional heat of intense sadness and physical symptoms like anxiety, anger, or nervous stomach issues. It soothes GI issues such as: nausea, stress in stomach, vomiting, dryness, diarrhea, and tight stomach. It can help with appetite when food feels hard to eat. It helps with tension, clenching, and insomnia based on stress and tightness. It helps with anxiety for the nervous system, restlessness, obsession, racing thoughts, and burnout.
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Meadowsweet, Filipendula ulmaria, helps to relieve grief symptoms both emotionally and spiritually. It is has salicyclic and derivatives which are used as a strong pain reliever. Well suited for stagnant pain, pain in a fixed location, and pounding pain. Meadowsweet helps to lift depression, ease stagnant emotional pain, and foster a sense of joy and self-love during difficult transitions. Used for stomach issues, including protecting the digestive tract, diarrhea, indigestion, upset stomach, and acid reflux. Meadowsweet is especially suited to hot pounding headaches by promoting circulation, which moves sluggish energy.
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Rose Family Companions
◦ Lemmonbalm, Melissa officinalis, is a relaxing nervine and sedative while also being a mood brightener. It soothes the nervous system, and helps with digestion.
◦ Mimosa, Albizia julibrissin, is used to calm and uplift the spirit. It relieves constriction and pain and softens the heart. It is used for temper, depression, insomnia, irritability, and bad memory.
◦ Motherwort, Leonurus cardiaca, can act as the mother we need. As a relaxing nervine it can relieve tension and anxiety, soothe the nervous system, and relieve the negative effects of stress.
◦ Violet, Viola odorata, is moistening, cooling, and a mild pain reliever. Another name for violet is heartsease, and they help bring a sense of joy.
◦ Tulsi, Ocimum tenuiflorum, is an adaptogens used to address nervous system issues, including excessive stress, anxiety, insomnia, depression, cognitive health, and overwork.
◦ Lavender, Lavandula angustifolia, soothes anxiety and decreases stress and pain.
◦ Milky Oat, Avena sativa, is nourishing and indicated in heart weakness that is associated with the nervous system.
◦ Nettle, Urtica dioica, is nutritive and mineral rich. Nettle is a source of iron, calcium, magnesium, protein and vitamins A and C.
◦ Willow, Salic alba/lucida, is used as a source of natural aspirin to relieve pain.
++ Community support, therapy, journaling, movement practices, and breath work.
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How to Use Rose for Grief
◦ Tea
◦ Tincture
◦ Aromatherapy: essential oils, sachets
◦ Honey, Vinegar, Syrup
◦ Bath
◦ Ritual: sit with, garland, alter, burning, harvesting
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Sources
◦ Herbally
◦ Learningherbs
◦ https://enchantersgreen.com/peach
◦ https://www.wildnesswithinliving.com/blog/2016/7/22/hawthorn
◦ https://www.jeffcobeacon.com/chlorophyll-corner-a-moment-for-grief-with-hawthorn/