Author Topic: Is this Sloe? (Read 24583 times)

KirinChris · « **on:** October 02, 2022, 06:52:22 pm »

We have just moved onto a small farm property and there are loads of plants I’m not sure about !

Glencairn · « **Reply #1 on:** October 02, 2022, 07:33:03 pm »

All the sloes that I have picked have had a matt finish to them, that's not to say that your's aren't, just keep on checking until you're satisfied.

SallyintNorth · « **Reply #2 on:** October 02, 2022, 07:35:22 pm »

No, looks like a rhododendron or laurel type thing. Probably poisonous

SallyintNorth · « **Reply #3 on:** October 02, 2022, 07:41:25 pm »

Screengrab from the Wiki page

Berries nearly as big as leaves, berries have a duskiness (but that's less pronounced earlier in the season), and the stems have massive, strong, and very nasty thorns.

Anke · « **Reply #4 on:** October 03, 2022, 01:57:11 pm »

This does indeed look like Laurel or similar to me. VERY poisonous to any ruminant (leaves and berries), so if that was on my smallholding and I planned on keeping livestock nearby, it would be taken out very quickly.

Also (I am not 100% sure) but aren't sloes just blackthorn and that is not an evergreen plant? The one in your photo defintiely is.

SallyintNorth · « **Reply #5 on:** October 03, 2022, 07:47:45 pm »

Quote from: Anke on October 03, 2022, 01:57:11 pm

aren't sloes just blackthorn and that is not an evergreen plant?

Yes and yes

Steph Hen · « **Reply #6 on:** October 03, 2022, 08:06:58 pm »

I dislike laurel, birds enjoy it but it can really take over. I’d remove the lot :-(

arobwk · « **Reply #7 on:** October 04, 2022, 11:44:19 am »

The 1st pic is definitely laurel and it is poisonous. Since it gives me "hay-fever" in the Spring I'd personally be chopping it out without a doubt.

[The fruit in SiN's pic of blackthorn/sloe look quite large: I'm wondering if it might actually be a bullace (or bullum in Cornwall - a type of wild plum)]

SallyintNorth · « **Reply #8 on:** October 04, 2022, 05:49:54 pm »

Quote from: arobwk on October 04, 2022, 11:44:19 am

The fruit in SiN's pic of blackthorn/sloe look quite large: I'm wondering if it might actually be a bullace (or bullum in Cornwall - a type of wild plum)

I think it's that blackthorn leaves are small, which makes the fruits look large. The pic is the one on the Wiki page, unlikely to not be correct.

SallyintNorth · « **Reply #9 on:** October 04, 2022, 05:54:01 pm »

This is the Wiki pic for bullace

Superficially similar but the leaves are so much bigger, and so are the fruits

chrismahon · « **Reply #10 on:** October 04, 2022, 06:30:07 pm »

Absolutely not sloe. Sloe trees look like plum or damson and we have a lot around here, although very small because of the drought and soil condition. Anything with laurel type leaves is going to be very poisonous. The photo looks like Portuguese Laurel fruit and we have them as well. Whatever you do don't eat them!

arobwk · « **Reply #11 on:** October 11, 2022, 09:00:39 pm »

Quote from: SallyintNorth on October 04, 2022, 05:49:54 pm

Quote from: arobwk on October 04, 2022, 11:44:19 am
The fruit in SiN's pic of blackthorn/sloe look quite large: I'm wondering if it might actually be a bullace (or bullum in Cornwall - a type of wild plum)

I think it's that blackthorn leaves are small, which makes the fruits look large. The pic is the one on the Wiki page, unlikely to not be correct.

I do expect that you are right SiN (re blackthorn versus ...), but I do have to say there are hybrids (blackthorn can pollinate even a Victoria plum as far as I'm aware and produce viable "seed" !) and there are also cultivated larger fruiting varieties of sloe (p. spinosa).
Unfortunately, visual IDs are becoming ever more uncertain as "we" meddle with nature and while nature also meddles with itself helped, in particular, by us moving growing plants of various species around the world.