Garden And Gossip Forums

Me too, SC.
The thorns on Hawthorn are smaller than Blackthorn but just as painful!

Right

Apologies to Veggie and SC for misreading their first responses!

I was reading Hawthorn as Blackthorn and subsequently thinking why are they saying Hawthorn but not sloes, doh!!!!!!

Looking at the pictures of Hawthorn I’d say you are probably right although I will get better pictures tomorrow?

Why don't you have a taste of the fruit?
Both Hawthorn and Blackthorn are OK to eat - that is, they won't poison you.

Picture one is almost certainly hawthorn. The second I think are rose hips. If I'm right both are technically edible. Personally I have made rosehip syrup but wasnt impressed. I use soles (purple things that are astringent enough to turn your face inside out) for gin when i can get enough or damsons.

I used to walk along the hedgerows in the spring to identify what was what...if memory serves me right

Blackthorn is flower before leaf where as hawthorn is leaf before flower

That's right admin. Also black thorn tends to have bigger thorns both are as sharp and nasty though.

Ok from the crap photo below you can see the shape of the leaf and therefore hawthorn as you folks suggested?
 
I did however find a pillaged blackthorn with about 5 sloes left on it. Photo of the bush was again crap but the second photo below shows the difference between the two fruits.

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The next two are general photos of different berries?

[attachment=1559]
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Lastly, probably the most fascinating plant/fruit/flower I’ve ever seen(need to get out more?), what is it please? The colour was astounding!

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Don't like the look of those black berries. Privet maybe? Don't eat those. EDIT Cherry Laurel

The 4th photo has hawthorn (which you know by now and the green leaves look like a cotoneaster with berries.

The last one is Spindleberry.
IIRC its poisonous so don't add it to your gin!!

Useful berry photos at https://www.bto.org/sites/default/files/...-sheet.pdf

(06-11-2020, 02:08 PM)Veggie Wrote: [ -> ]Don't like the look of those black berries. Privet maybe? Don't eat those.

The 4th photo has hawthorn (which you know by now and the green leaves look like a cotoneaster with berries.

The last one is Spindleberry.
IIRC its poisonous so don't add it to your gin!!

Useful berry photos at https://www.bto.org/sites/default/files/...-sheet.pdf

Thanks for the info and link Veggie

I've never paid so much attention to the different trees and bushes I usually just stomp along listening to something on my phone.

Put your phone away and listen to the countryside, the birds singing, small creatures moving through the undergrowth, leaves rustling............