Skip navigation

Blackthorn

Blackthorn is a common species of the North European countryside with its dense spiny branches and familiar sloes in autumn.

What other names does it have?

Can also be known as	Sloe
Generic name	Blackthorn
Latin name	Prunus spinosa
Family name	Rose
Latin family name	Rosaceae

What type of tree is it?

Does it lose its leaves in autumn?	Yes, it is deciduous

Species description:

Average height	6-7m

Leaf

Description	Slightly wrinkled
Shape	Oval
Size	Up to 5cm long and 2cm wide
Colour	Green
Leaf bud	Small only 1-2mm long
Leaf stalk	Short stalk
Leaf arrangement	In bunches

Flower, seed, and fruit

Type of flower	Clustered/grouped flowers
Flower size	Around 1cm across
Flowering season	Early-spring
Fruit colour	Purple-black with a blueish bloom
Fruit season	September onwards
Type of seed body	Fruit
Seeds dispersed by	Wildlife

Bark and twig

Bark description	Purple-black and finely roughened
Twig Description	Smooth and gleaming purple if they are not covered with a grey bloom. Side shoots end in long spines.

Where is it usually found?

Is it native or non-native to the British Isles?	Native
Where is its natural range?	Britain and Ireland
Preferred soil type or environmental conditions?	Widely planted in hedges, dominant in scrub and on heavier soils
What is its British conservation status?	Common

Additional information

Is any part of the tree poisonous?	The sloes are very sour but not poisonous
Human uses of tree and timber	The wood has been used for walking or riding sticks and was the traditional wood for Irish shillelaghs. The popular sloe gin is produced by covering sloes with sugar and gin, the result being an almond-flavoured liqueur. The pitted gin-soaked sloes can be dipped into melted chocolate which is then allowed to set. Cooked sloes can also be used to make jam or jelly.

Blackthorn leaves, flower, fruit, stone

Illustrations supplied by
Collins

BritishTrees

©2012 The Woodland Trust