The Prunus spinosa, also called blackthorn or sloe, is a species of flowering plant in the rose family Rosaceae. The species is native to Europe, western Asia, and regionally in northwest Africa.  A spiny shrub, blackthorn has small, oval leaves that are finely toothed, and five-petalled, white flowers that appear in dense clusters. Its fruits are blue-black and round. It can be distinguished from the similar wild plum or bullace by its smaller fruit and narrower leaves.

The Blackthorn tree is a familiar shrub of hedgerows and woodland edges, in the spring is flowers with white blossoms and then fruits with sloe berries.  The sloe berry, blue/black in colour is well known in the flavouring of sloe gin.   The wood of the Blackthorn is commonly used to make walking sticks.  The Blackthorn is approximately 6-7m in height and is found all year round in the UK.

The thorny Blackthorn which is found in the hedgerows and woodland edges. Aside from the uses of the berries and wood, the Blackthorn is important to wildlife.  The rare Black Hairstreak butterfly lays its eggs in its hedges, the eggs are protected over the winter and then the caterpillars emerge in spring ready to feed on the plant.