Our range of Blackthorn bare root plants (Prunus spinosa)

We have Blackthorn bare root hedging plants in several specifications and heights.  The 1+0 1 year old specification plants are seedlings (often called whips) which were grown from seed sown in the spring and are sold during the following November to April months ie they are 1 year old.  We have Blackthorn whips in several heights.

We also have 2 year old Blackthorn transplants (1+1) which began as a one year old whip (grown from seed in one growing season) and are then planted back out for one more growing season in a different area of our fields at lower density to give each plant more space, nutrients and water.

All of these plants are grown by us in Herefordshire.

Blackthorn is a very important species for us (second only to hawthorn) so we always have several batches of seed including UK provenance and the highest quality imported seed, so if the seed provenance is important to you, please give us a call so that we can allocate plants from the best batch for your needs.

Blackthorn (Prunus spinosa) Summary

Blackthorn is the first of the native farm hedging species to burst into flower in late March/April, before its leaves open, and its autumn fruit (called “sloes”) are blue black coloured berries which are added to gin to make sloe gin.  Spiny, woody stems make an excellent livestock proof hedge (second only to Hawthorn) and it is suited to moist soils as well as normal soils. As well as being a staple of farm hedgerows all across Britain it is also sometimes found as a small shrubby tree in woodland settings or scrub land.

It puts out suckers so that gradually, over the years, it will spread in width to make a completely impenetrable hedge but you can mow off or dig out the suckers if you do not want it to spread. Cattle browsing will contain sucker growth but it is less suitable for arable fields or horse paddocks.

It is the second most popular native hedging species (second only to Hawthorn) with enormous wildlife value with over 150 different types of insects feeding and living on it which then feed birds.

Soil and Situation

Preferring full sunlight, Blackthorn does well on wetter, well drained (not waterlogged) soils and is often found in woodlands, copses, scrub land and is a very common component in mixed native hedgerows.  It is hardy and can withstand salt-laden, windy conditions so can be used in coastal situations. It can also be used as a single species hedge as shown in our photograph.  A mature Blackthorn hedge can become very wide and impenetrable which is terrific protection for wildlife.

It is not commonly known that blackthorn is toxic to horses so we do not recommend it for hedging around horse paddocks.

Leaves, flowers and fruit

The leaves are small, dark green, a narrow oval shape, finely toothed and only appear after the flowers have finished.  Leaves are a food source for moths (including the Emperor Moth and Black Hairstreak) and butterflies and birds feast on their caterpillars.  Blackthorn has spines at the end of branches so that birds, but not cows, can get at the ripened sloe berries.  The thorns are very aggressive so it is not recommended for children's play areas or beside a footpath.

Flowering is profuse – a cloud-like smothering over the whole bush (especially if it has not been trimmed in the previous autumn because it flowers on old wood).  Fruit develops from pollinated flowers and by late September its bitter blue/black berries (the size of eating blueberries) which are pricked with a skewer and then soaked in gin and sugar to produce sloe gin. Don’t wait for sloes to ripen – they will always be hard when picked and you have to get to them before the birds.

The bark is smooth and dark grey-brown.  Blackthorn is used to make walking sticks because the young wood is straight, hard, smooth and has an attractive black/maroon sheen. It is used to make the authentic sail eille (translated to shillelagh in English), which are the Irish folklore walking sticks and it is thought that Parliament's Black Rod's knocking stick is made of blackthorn too.

Eventual height and growth rate

Mature height is about 5m but Blackthorn is easy to keep trimmed to a hedging height of 2-3m and takes well to hedge laying.  Growth rate is average (about 40cm pa).

Blackthorn is one of the main components in mixed native hedging - often being swapped for Hawthorn for wetter soils. it is one of the cheapest plants we grow so you can reduce the cost of mixed hedging by increasing the proportion of Blackthorn and reducing the proportion of the additional species (like field maple or dog rose) that are more expensive (but take care if you are using a Countryside Stewardship Grant to make sure sufficient species are being used in the expected proportions).

Uses of Blackthorn

Blackthorn is used a great deal in mixed hedging (especially conservation hedging and livestock-proof hedging) and as a woodland shrub and it is especially good as a cover for game birds.  It suckers from below ground so hedging incorporating a high proportion of blackthorn is always dense at the base.  The sloes are made into slow gin. The branches are popular with walking stick makers.  Prunings can be used as firewood.

Rosaceae family.