Prunus spinosa - Blackthorn

The Prunus spinosa, more commonly known as the Blackthorn bush, is a large shrub or small thorny tree with a bushy habit that is familiar in our landscapes and impenetrable thickets, punctuated in spring by a lovely white flowering. It is also known for its black and edible fruits, sloes, which are also sought after by birds. This light-loving species is a robust, very hardy, fast-growing pioneer plant, but also slightly suckering, which has its place, just like hawthorn, in a rustic and defensive hedge.

The Prunus spinosa belongs to the large rose family, it is called Blackthorn, or common sloe depending on the region. It is native to North Africa (Morocco, Tunisia), Western Asia (up to Siberia), the west and south of Europe, and the Middle East (including Iran). Its natural habitat is open, low-altitude environments where it grows spontaneously on clay-limestone soil, sometimes rocky. This shrub with trailing roots often forms impenetrable thickets, but it does not tolerate competition from other shrubs. It grows rapidly depending on the growing conditions, with a short trunk and a shiny dark brown bark, and develops a well-branched and wide-spreading crown made of thorny and tangled branches. At maturity, this wild sloe will reach about 3.50m (11.4ft) in all directions. Before the appearance of young foliage, in March-April depending on the climate, a profusion of small white solitary flowers, with 5 petals, nectar-rich, and 1.5cm (0.6in) in diameter appear. The flowering is followed by the formation of small round plums (sloes), fleshy, erect, with a black-blue colour. They are edible when over-ripe but very astringent before the first frost. However, they are used in the preparation of jellies, jams, liqueurs, and sloe gin. The deciduous foliage is composed of small alternate leaves, ovate and pointed, measuring 2 to 4cm (1.6in) in length. The surface, dark green on the upper side, is downy on the underside. Its margin is dentate.

This thorny small tree, a symbol of vigour and robustness, will naturally find its place in a natural, flowering, rustic or defensive hedge. Very easy to grow and very resistant, it will be comfortable in most regions, from north to south and from east to west. For example, in a hedge it can be associated with other spring-flowering shrubs, in a row or staggered, such as ornamental apple trees, flowering peaches, Prunus mahaleb, quince trees, medlars, dogwoods, viburnums, Chinese almond trees, hawthorns...

Properties:

The blackthorn has very hard wood, often veined with pink, which was once sought after for marquetry. Its trailing roots are valuable for retaining and protecting soils from erosion, and its ability to spontaneously form impenetrable barriers was used to corral livestock. The tips of the branches are used to make sloe wine. Some parts of the plant are used in herbal medicine. Finally, this small tree serves as a refuge for many birds and hosts several varieties of butterflies.