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blackthorn
blackthorn Blackthorn (Prunus spinosa) fruits ripening.

blackthorn

shrub
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Also known as: Prunus spinosa, sloe
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Also called:
sloe
Related Topics:
Prunus
sloe gin
See all related content

blackthorn, (Prunus spinosa), spiny shrub of the rose family, native to Europe but cultivated in other regions. The plant’s dense growth makes it suitable for hedges, and the tart fruit is used to flavor sloe gin.

Blackthorn usually grows less than 3.6 meters (12 feet) tall and has numerous small deciduous leaves. The white flowers, about 2 cm (0.8 inch) in diameter, have five petals and appear before the leaves in the spring. The bluish black fruit is a drupe, about 2 cm in diameter.

Taxonomy

See also list of plants in the family Rosaceae

The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica This article was most recently revised and updated by Melissa Petruzzello.