Blackthorn, Sloe - Prunus spinosa
Blackthorn, Sloe or - Prunus spinosa is a large, deciduous native shrub that is ideal for stockproof hedging. In late February and March, on viciously thorny bare branches with blackish bark, Blackthorn carries dense clouds of fluffy white flowers. In a good year it can be impossible to see the trees themselves for their blossom. Flowers are followed by mid-sized dark green oval leaves in spring and by purple sloes - from which comes the expression sloe-eyed in autumn - these are good for infusing with gin, vodka and brandy. Planted by itself, a Blackthorn hedge is dense, impenetrable thicket. While not as powerful a hedge plant as Hawthorn, Blackthorn hedge plants do have the merit of suckering freely so preventing your hedge from becoming gappy at the bottom. It is therefore an essential ingredient in any hedge mix intended to be a barrier to animals, especially sheep and goats. We mix it into a number our standard hedging packs and would always recommend it as a constituent of a native hedge
Not many barriers are more effective than a Blackthorn hedge when it comes to keeping people at bay so it is widely used around allotment gardens. A Blackthorn hedge is also home to a mass of wildlife - nightingales nest in it, Emperor Moth larvae eat the leaves as do a range of other endangered moths and butterflies. As the wood matures it has other uses - Blackthorn is much prized for walking sticks and nothing else will do to make a shillelagh...
Sloe berries are reputed to have medicinal properties especially in connection with the bladder and chest - although we do not advise you to rely on them over conventional medecine. In colder parts of the country it is best to leave the sloes on the bush - it starts to ripen in October as they sweeten remarkably after a couple of frosts. Otherwise, you can freeze and thaw them a couple of times in the freezer.
Tolerant of most soils except chalky ones, Blackthorn hedging should be trimmed in mid summer. With the warming climate, it is essential to plant it early - before the end of February as it flowers so early. To 4m
If you do not want to plant a single species blackthorn hedge, why not take a look at some of our other suggestions for native hedging mixes?
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