BLACKTHORN

Windy/Exposed	Thorny	Chalky Soil	Wet Sites
Coastal Areas	Native Plant	Attracts Wildlife

An easily recognised native tree or shrub grown for its prickly habit as security hedging and prolific supply of sloe berries. Makes a hedge from 3-10ft at a rate of 1ft per year.

BLACKTHORN HEDGE-BLACKTHORN HEDGING, PRUNUS SPINOSA SLOE HEDGE

Prunus Spinosa is the native Blackthorn hedge or Sloe. A large dense shrub or bushy small tree often seen in country hedgerows. Established stands of Blackthorn provide valuable cover for birds and support a wide variety of wildlife.

The creamy white flowers of Blackthorn (Prunus Spinosa) clothe the very prickly bare branches before the leaves in March and early April. In rural areas this period is often referred to as ‘Blackthorn winter’ when it coincides with a cold snap Over the summer the immature green sloes ripen to a small black damson like fruit with a purple blue waxy bloom.. Blackthorn sloes are thin fleshed with a strong astringent flavour becoming sweeter with the first autumn frosts and can be used in preserves or infused with various spirits and sugar to make liquers, especially Sloe Gin. The Blackthorn plant has dark green foliage the leaves are oval with a serrated edge and yellow autumn hues.

Prunus Spinosa (Blackthorn hedge) is an accommodating plant and will grow successfully in all but very thin chalky soils and is best in full sun.

Blackthorn is usually seen in mixed country hedges, often with Quickthorn(-link) as the two species effectively ‘knit’ hedges together making them stockproof. When mixed with a variety of other native species a hedge with almost year interest and great wildlife value can be created. Click here (-link-mixed native) for more details of our native hedge mixes.

A Blackthorn or Sloe hedge is also an effective barrier in its own right, when established a Blackthorn hedge will produce many suckers and make a dense and very thorny hedge. Blackthorn hedge plants should be planted 12-18ins (30-45cm) apart in a single row or for a really thick Blackthorn hedge a double staggered row with 18-24inches (45-60cm) between the plants and 15 inches (38cm) between the rows. An established Blackthorn Sloe hedge may be trimmed at any time and can be kept at any height from 3-10ft (0.9-3m).

All plants are covered by our guarantee and we will supply full cultural instructions with your order. We strongly recommend Rootgrow and Bonemeal to help establish newly planted trees, these may be found on the left hand menu.