It’s harvest time for the fruit of the blackthorn tree
SLOES ARE THE FRUIT OF THE blackthorn, one of the commonest and most widespread hedging trees on account of its dense growth. October is traditionally when they are finally ripe enough for us to pick. They look like small, dark plums, with an attractive bluish-purple sheen – but don’t try one straight off the tree. Its intense, eye-watering tartness will almost certainly make you splutter and spit it out. Even birds normally leave sloes untouched, much preferring hawthorn, holly and mountain ash berries. Three species that will eat them are mistle thrushes, fieldfares (winter visitors from the far north) and hawfinches.
Heavily sweetened, of course, sloes go famously well with gin, and are excellent too in whisky and grown-up chocolate. Unfortunately, excessive and frequent flailing of hedges can lead to a much reduced crop, or even no sloes at all.
BH