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Sloe Plums are the fruit of a bush known as a blackthorn bush that can grow up to 13 feet (4 metres) high, and the same wide. It is usually trained as a hedge, though, and trimmed back to anywhere between 3 and 10 feet (1 to 3 metres.) Given that it can live 40 to 80 years, and while growing, will grow about 1 foot (30 cm) a year, the trimming becomes a yearly task.
The bush can be grown from cuttings or seed. Where low branches touch the ground they may form roots and start another bush.
The bushes have green oval leaves up to 2 inches (5 cm) long, which they lose in the winter, and are renowned for their very sharp thorns. In the spring, they flower with abundant five-petalled white blossoms about 1/2 inch (1 to 1 1/2 cm) wide. Often, it is the first plant to go into flower. The leaves only appear after the blossoms are finished.
The fruit is small, only up to up to 1/2 inch (1 to 1 1/2 cm) wide, and ripens to a bluish-black with a bloom on the surface, like blueberries have. It looks like miniature plums. Inside, they have green flesh, with a single large stone in the middle.
The fruit is very tart and bitter, too tart and bitter to eat out of hand. Some advise that it's best to harvest them after the first frost, as frost lessens the bitterness a bit, but sometimes small animals and birds will have beat you to them first.
It is usually made into jellies, syrup, jam and liqueurs. In France, it is sometimes pickled like olives.
Eau de vie de prunelle is distilled in France from the fermented juice. 13 pounds (6 kg) of fruit are needed to make 32 oz (1 litre) of it. It ends up 40% alcohol. Homemade versions start with a plain eau de vie, and add sloes and sugar syrup.
Walking sticks are made from the branches of the bush.
The blackthorn bush is native from Ireland and the UK down to northern Africa, and also into western Asia.
Equivalents
1 1/2 pounds (700g) of sloes is about 350 to 500 sloes.
Literature & Lore
Christian legend says that the cross of thorns given Christ on the cross was made from blackthorn branches.
It is considered bad luck to bring the blossoms in the house; reputedly if you do, a death in the house will follow.
Irish folklore held that the fairies particularly liked living in blackthorn bushes.
In France, it was believed that the devil would lurk in them on foggy nights.
Also called:  Blackhaw
Blackthorn
Buckthorn
Scrogg
Snag-bush Épine noire, Prunelle sauvage, Prunellier, Prunier épineux. Beuchon, Prunier sauvage (French) Dornschlehe, Ebaupin-noir, Schlehdorn, Schlehen, Schlehenpflaume, Schwarzdorn, Stechdorn (German) Atrigna, Prugno salvatico, Prugnola, Prugnolo, Prunello, Spina fiorita (Italian) Ciruelo silvestre, Endrino, Espino negro (Spanish)
See Also
Patxaran, Sloe Gin
Other entries for Plums
Agen Prunes, Angelina Burdett Plums, Greengage Plums, Mirabelles, Pershore Yellow Egg Plum, Prune Plums, Quetsch Plums, Sloe Plums, Ume
Other entries for Hard Fruit
Apples, Apricots, Avocado, Chayote, Citrus Fruit, Guava Fruit, Kiwis, Mangos, Maypop Fruit, Medlars, Melons, Nectarines, Papaya, Passion Fruit, Peaches, Pears, Persimmons, Pomegranates, Quinces, Red Sorrel, Rose Hips, Sapote, Star Fruit, True Service Fruit
Other entries for Fruit
Bananas, Bletting, Candied Fruit, Dried Fruit, Drupes, Olives, Rhubarb, Soft Fruit
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