Sloe gin is made from the Blackthorn drupes. I discovered a hidden thicket of Prunus spinosa at the Washington State University Arboretum in January 2018. I could see the blue color of the berries from quite a distance across the open meadow, and I wondered: what in the world would be so blue, in such large numbers, in the middle of winter here in Washington? As I got closer, I couldn't believe my eyes! There were hundreds of powder blue balls covering the branches. I had never seen these little trees before. I had no idea what they were. The fruit looked for all the world like concord grapes, only they didn't hang in clusters and there were no vines, just spiny branches, like a plum tree. Because of that, I knew they had to be in the Prunus genus. I ate some and they were very good and sweet. Probably because they had been through many "frosts" and had been on the branches for quite some time. They were definitely good and ripe! I kept the pits from the ones I ate and planted them in some pots in my green house. I hope I will see little sprouts this spring. I will return to them again to see how they look in the spring, summer, and fall, and of course, take more photos!

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Wood from this tree is fashioned into walking sticks, canes, and clubs. Blackthorn sticks are carried by commissioned officers of the Royal Irish Regiment.

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Valuable source of nectar and pollen for honey bees

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A somewhat thorny, durable shrub with glaucous purple fruit and a reddish colored trunk. It grows wild here, often forming thickets. The berry fruit is edible, though palatability is another matter. Taste like like a tart & sour plum, and a lot more resinous (which transfers to any type of liqueur made from this, like a resinous tart plum). Plant is very hardy, often growing along exposed mountain and hillside meadows.

I wouldn't recommend growing it (save maybe for bonsai purposes) due to the problems it poses. It's quite durable and hard to root out, it's spiny and may pose a threat, and it can spread aggressively.

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