The Accidental Smallholder Forum

Growing => Identification => Topic started by: Baois Glas on September 04, 2014, 06:57:38 pm

Title: Anyone know what Sloe type berry this is?
Post by: Baois Glas on September 04, 2014, 06:57:38 pm

Spotted these growing on my drive the other day when riding my horse, and stopped to grab some today.

I thought they were sloes but the branches don't seem to have thorns on like blackthorn usually does, any ideas?

(it's a 5p in the pics to give an idea of size, and leaves are a bit wilted now)

Will upload pic later, camera has decided to play up!

Title: Re: Anyone know what Sloe type berry this is?
Post by: ZacB on September 04, 2014, 08:46:04 pm

A guess before the photo........damsons???

Title: Re: Anyone know what Sloe type berry this is?
Post by: shygirl on September 04, 2014, 08:58:25 pm

will be interesting to see.
a few years ago i was going to make sloe vodka with what i thought was sloes from a blackthorn bush but i was told by a (polish) friend they were actually poisonous "wolf berries". it looked like a blackthorn bush but it put me off, round black berries and large spikes on the branches.

Title: Re: Anyone know what Sloe type berry this is?
Post by: Baois Glas on September 05, 2014, 10:17:06 am

Thanks for the replies.  :) Cut one open last night and there's a stone in the middle, had another google and it might be a bullace? but doesn't seem big enough.

We are in Ireland, if that makes any difference.

Title: Re: Anyone know what Sloe type berry this is?
Post by: Somewhere_by_the_river on September 05, 2014, 10:35:27 am

I think you are right with bullace, they often are smaller than the books will tell you, I've only ever found smaller ones in the hedgerows than they would have you believe. They are related to sloes, so if they are bigger than sloes but with a stone in the middle as you say then it's a good bet.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bullace (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bullace)

Title: Re: Anyone know what Sloe type berry this is?
Post by: Bramblecot on September 05, 2014, 10:55:18 am

Thy are what we call sloes.  I've been making sloe gin with them for years and I'm not dead yet :roflanim: .

Bullace are quite a bit larger, like small yellow or purple plums.  Cherry plums are round and red.  And wild plum are round and purple about the size of a large marble.  They are all good in gin /vodka or made into jelly for the non-drinkers ;D :yum: :yum:

Title: Re: Anyone know what Sloe type berry this is?
Post by: Sbom on September 06, 2014, 02:07:57 pm

Bullace.

I spent ages thinking I had the biggest sloes ever til my dad enlightened me!

Bigger than a sloe and smaller and not as sweet as a damson. They just fit through the neck of a bottle.
Makes great wine, jelly and gin!

Title: Re: Anyone know what Sloe type berry this is?
Post by: tattycat on December 04, 2014, 09:46:32 pm

My fruit of the year!! Made jam, chutney, cordial, and fruit cheese!! Wonderful fruit. ")))