Blackthorn in March

Not being based in the US I can't help on a source for P spinosa. But I am intrigued as to why you were growing this species. It is a very common hedging plant over here and has horrendous thorns, small flowers and small, harshly sour fruit. Perhaps you were going into the shillelagh business?

Oh it has many uses, as I'm sure you've heard. Mostly though because my own hedge thicket began from suckers I brought from my grandparent's property, which itself was sold off long ago. So it is a connection for me to them and my place here doesn't seem complete without it. I hated the thing when I was a youngster for the very reasons you stated. Used to tear my hands up helping to pick the sloes and I couldn't stand the flavor. However, the year after my grandma died I felt compelled to go pick them myself for to make her apple and sloe jelly. That cold day with just me and the old blackthorn was cathartic and I sort of "fell in love". Perhaps love is not the proper term, but rather it became a part of me. Whatever the case, I won't be able to rest until I've got a few planted.

Not only heard, I use sloes myself, picked from country hedges. I was just wondering why sloes as opposed to one of the tastier, prettier, less painful and more useful members of the plum family. These became sloe gin.

Oh nice looking beverage. True there are MANY alternatives that may be culinarilly superior and more "friendly", but they just aren't the same as the sloe or the old Blackthorn with all their particular lore and history, and like I said about the personal meaning. Fruitwise, I really prefer the Mayhaw, Crataegus aestivalis for the bulk of my jellies but I still crave a taste of those sloes, for auld lang syne I suppose, and you can't beat the Blackthorn as a protective/deterrent hedge.

Floral, were you serving the gin to your beloved corgi?

Thank you kindly David. I will try those leads.

The Corgi only drinks warm beer....

The plants can be had for a couple of dollars here, but sadly thats no help to you.