BLACKTHORN(Prunus spinosa)

Dense sprays of blackthorn blossom are lighting up hedgerows around the country at present.

The flowering of blackthorn is controlled by temperature rather than day length so it is a good indicator of whether spring is late or early.

This year it’s late — in a normal year the blossom, which appears before the leaves break bud, is at its peak in mid-March. Blackthorn is a member of the plum family. Its Latin name means the spiny plum. The plums are sloes, dark purple powdered with grey and quite bitter, though they do develop a little sweetness when they’re really ripe in the late autumn. This is the time to pick them to make jam, cordial or liquor.

Blackthorn is a good hedging plant, though it it throws up root suckers and if these are not controlled the hedge can spread sideways into places where it’s not wanted. The timber is hard and strong and traditionally used for walking sticks.