Blackthorn

Did you know

• Blackthorn's sloe berries are the key flavoring ingredient in sloe gin, a British liqueur tradition dating back centuries.
• In Irish mythology, the blackthorn was associated with the fairy folk and considered unlucky to bring indoors.
• The dense, thorny branches were traditionally used to make impenetrable hedgerows across the British countryside.
• Blackthorn blooms appear before the leaves, creating a dramatic white display on bare dark branches.
• Its extremely hard wood was the traditional material for Irish shillelagh walking sticks and clubs.

Color meanings

Uses

• hedgerow planting
• sloe gin production
• wildlife habitat