Blackthorn  (Prunus spinosa)

Blackthorn is a deciduous shrub that has long been popular in hedgerows because of its thorns (4). The beautiful white blossom tends to appear early in the year before the leaves, often in a very cold period following a false spring. These cold snaps are widely known as ‘blackthorn winters’ (4). Blackthorn is related to the plums. The bitter fruits it produces are known as sloes, and are used to make sloe gin (4). They are bluish-black in colour and often have a whitish bloom. The flesh is green and there is a single stone inside (2).