Species of the day: Blackthorn

By James Duncan

Learning and Engagement Officer

Around April the magnificent Blackthorn (Prunus spinosa) bursts into bloom, covering country hedgerows and woodland edges in a riot of white blossom. Blackthorn produces its dazzling flowers prior to the formation of its leaves, providing the easiest method of differentiating it from our other hedgerow staple, Hawthorn, (Crataegus monogyna) where the process is reversed. It's a dense, spiny, impenetrable tree which can be found all over the British Isles, though despite its unapproachable nature we undeniably hold a special love for it. We're not the only ones as it also helps to provide a marvellous habitat for wildlife. Its viciously sharp spines offer the perfect level of protection by keeping grazing animals at bay and offering sanctum to nesting birds, some of high conservation priority such as Nightingale and Turtle Dove. Its usefulness is actually far more wide-reaching, with it providing nectar, pollen, food and habitat to a simply enormous variety of insects, including those such as the Brown and Black Hairstreak Butterflies.  

Of course Blackthorn is also widely known by another common name - Sloe. Once the attractive flowers have achieved insect pollination, they begin their development into the familiar and highly astringent blue-black fruits. Though eating a sloe may prove an unpalatable experience, it's probable that wild Blackthorn crossed with Cherry Plum may have resulted in all domestic plums, damsons and greengages. The harvesting of sloes to create both sloe gin, sloe jam and sloe preserves has now been a tradition for hundreds of years. Of course, when picking, care should be exercised as the the savage spines may well lead to infection should they become embedded in human skin. 

In mythology the Blackthorn's sinister appearance has given it deep associations with witchcraft and bad fortune, though ironically it has a myriad of properties that have substantial benefits for health. Witches' wands and staffs were said to be made from the hard-wearing wood, though it's since translated into being a very useful material for walking sticks. Its qualities as an anti-inflammatory, astringent, laxative and diuretic enabled its traditional use for combatting complaints ranging from mild sore throats to cardiac conditions. Of course its benefits in nature are vastly more significant and it's unequivocally a highly important species from an ecological perspective.  

Blackthorn © James Duncan