Blackthorn

Parts Usually Used

Flowers, fruit, bark of the root

Description of Plant(s) and Culture

Blackthorn is a Eurasian tree or shrub, 10-15 feet high; the branches are very thorny and are covered with velvety hair when young. The small, alternate leaves are usually obtuse and range from obovate to ovate in shape. They are closely serrate and somewhat hairy on the veins beneath. In March and April, the small, white flowers grow profusely alone or in pairs along the branches.

The harsh, astringent fruit is round, blue to black, and about 1/2 inch in diameter. It ripens in October. Other varieties of plum: Common plum (P. domestica); Wild plum (P. americana)

Where Found

Commonly cultivated for ornamental purposes, grows wild in clearings, among hedges, and along the edges of woods, sunny mountain slopes, on heaths, and in pastures, provided enough lime is present in the soil.

Medicinal Properties

Aperient, astringent, diaphoretic, diuretic, stomachic

Uses

Historical herbalists prepared a tea from the flowers, which was traditionally used as a purgative, an appetite stimulant, and a general stomach tonic. Older traditions also recommended the floral infusion for mild bladder complaints, skin conditions, catarrh, stomach cramps, dropsy, and stone formation. The juice of the berries was historically applied for mouth and throat inflammations, while a jam made from the fruit was utilized as a mild laxative for children.

Herbal practitioners also administered a decoction of the root bark to manage fevers, and the plant served a secondary role as a flavoring agent in liqueurs and cordials.

Bibliography

The Herb Book , by John Lust, Bantam Books, 666 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY. copyright 1974. , 15 Columbus Circle, New York, NY 10023 The Healing Plants , by Mannfried Pahlow, Barron’s Educational Series, Inc. , Hauppauge, NY 11788, 1992