The blackthorn is a thorny deciduous shrub that heralds the spring with very early white blossom, even before its leaves open.
| Kingdom | Plantae |
| Division | Magnoliophyta |
| Class | Magnoliopsida |
| Order | Rosales |
| Family | Rosaceae |
| Genus | Prunus |
| Species | Prunus spinosa |
It is a much-branched deciduous shrub, 1 to 4 metres tall, armed with numerous hard, sharp thorns. In spring, before the leaves sprout, it becomes completely covered in small white flowers.
Its fruit is the sloe, a spherical blue-black drupe covered with a fine waxy bloom, with a very astringent taste when raw.
It is native to Europe, western Asia and North Africa. It grows naturally in hedgerows, woodland edges and scrub, often forming impenetrable thickets thanks to its thorns.
Its fruits, the sloes, are the basis of pacharán, the traditional liqueur from Navarre made by steeping them in aniseed spirit. Its very hard wood has traditionally been used to make walking sticks and cudgels.
