Blackthorn

Description

Dense, prickly, native, deciduous plant with new shoots finely downy becoming smooth by winter, purple in sun or green in shade. Many side shoots end with vicious thorns. Masses of snow-white flowers, attractive to bees, appear in March before the small, slender leaves which are wrinkled and downy when young. In autumn the tree or hedge will carry many sloes which turn from purple to black in autumn and remain intensely sour into the winter. Any soil, but will thrive on quite poor soil and also heavy soils.