Prunus spinosa, Blackthorn

Common Name: Blackthorn

Prunus spinosa, more commonly known as Blackthorn, is a large deciduous shrub or small tree growing to 5 metres tall, with blackish bark and dense, stiff, spiny branches. The leaves are oval, 2–4.5 centimetres long and 1.2–2 centimetres broad, with a serrated margin.

The flowers are about 1.5 centimetres in diameter, with five creamy-white petals; they are produced shortly before the leaves in early spring (unlike Hawthorn, their common co-habitant of UK hedgerows, which produces its leaves before flowering), and are hermaphroditic and insect-pollinated.

The fruit, called a "sloe", is a drupe 10–12 millimetres in diameter, black with a purple-blue waxy bloom, ripening in autumn and harvested – traditionally, at least in the UK – in October or November after the first frosts. Sloes are thin-fleshed, with a very strongly astringent flavour when fresh. Blackthorn usually grows as a bush but can grow to become a tree to a height of 6 m.

https://www.uknature.co.uk is a website dedicated to showing the immense diversity of UK nature and wildlife. Our vast range of habitats, from lowland arable to snow covered mountains, from storm-ravaged coastlines to peaceful inland freshwater lakes and rivers, from dry, sandy heaths to deciduous and coniferous forests, all these habitats contribute to the abundance of UK nature. We have wild birds in huge numbers either residing or visiting our shores (597 recorded species as at July 2013) and we must also not forget the humble back garden with its grass lawns, flower beds filled with nectar rich flowers, shrubs and trees, all designed to attract huge numbers of insects such as bees, moths, butterflies and hoverflies; and finally the small ponds which provide safe havens for frogs, toads, newts and even slow worms and grass snakes. www.uknature.co.uk is the showcase for my personal passion, photographing uknature in all its glory. I sincerely hope you all enjoy the fruits of my labours.