Sloes are old-fashioned, almost forgotten plants that have seen a resurgence in popularity due to the revived interest in spiced alcoholic drinks.
Sloe is perhaps best known for its contribution to sloe gin, a delicious pink plum-flavoured liqueur.
It is a very ancient tree widespread through Europe as a tree of woods, meadows and hedgerows. It can be found naturalised in the cooler parts of Australia.
Trees are very bushy and grow to around 3–5m high and 2m wide. As the species name spinosa suggests, the tree is very thorny.
Due to their thorns, sloes were used to create stock-proof fencing much like hawthorns and are still planted as hedges or barrier plants. They can also be grown as standalone trees or as espaliers.
The trees have masses of single white flowers in spring followed…
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Good Organic Gardening (Digital) - 1 Issue, 15.2