Jeff999x Posted September 12, 2017 Report Share Posted September 12, 2017 Can someone please confirm these are Sloes. Been checking the hedgerows and finally found hopefully a bountiful area. Many thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mice! Posted September 12, 2017 Report Share Posted September 12, 2017 Seem very black? Might be better putting this on off topic or send a msg to Jdog he knows his stuff, any more pics? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yellow Bear Posted September 12, 2017 Report Share Posted September 12, 2017 Cant see but does the bush have thorns? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hyflier Posted September 12, 2017 Report Share Posted September 12, 2017 I would say NO. that isn't a blackthorn bush, sloes generally have a dusty blueish hue to them, they do grow in small bunches of two or three but not always. The blackthorn bush has evil thorns along the branches, you'll know it when you find one These look a bit like a variety of cherry plum..... but to be on the safe side, I wouldn't be making sloe gin from these. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff999x Posted September 12, 2017 Author Report Share Posted September 12, 2017 Thanks for the info. I'm sure it didn't have thorns, hey ho I'll continue my searching. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Walker570 Posted September 12, 2017 Report Share Posted September 12, 2017 Deadly poisonous. Certainly not sloes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
panoma1 Posted September 12, 2017 Report Share Posted September 12, 2017 (edited) Leaves look wrong? And no thorns?............beware, could be deadly nightshade? But looking on google probably not! Edited September 12, 2017 by panoma1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hyflier Posted September 13, 2017 Report Share Posted September 13, 2017 http://www.wildsmart.ca/berriesandfruits.htm Something called "choke cherry," I think. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JDog Posted September 13, 2017 Report Share Posted September 13, 2017 They look like Bullace to me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ditchman Posted September 13, 2017 Report Share Posted September 13, 2017 (edited) They look like Bullace to me. Bullaces.........................a blast from the past...havnt heard that word in an eon...........you can make booze and jam with bullace Edited September 13, 2017 by ditchman Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TIGHTCHOKE Posted September 13, 2017 Report Share Posted September 13, 2017 Bullaces are great.............. ................fired from a catapult! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Walker570 Posted September 13, 2017 Report Share Posted September 13, 2017 Bullace are a small green plum, like a small gage. Nothing like what is shown in the picture. I don't know the name but my grandfather told me many moons ago they were not good for you. I have three trees of bullace, anyone wanting a bag full around M42/A42 junction to add to some vodka/dark brown sugar, then pm me as there are still a few on the tree. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GingerCat Posted September 15, 2017 Report Share Posted September 15, 2017 You can't miss a slow. They are as big as a big blueberry and blue. If you bite one your mouth goes dry and you'll pull a funny face. There's no mistaking them. There's a reason you need tons of sugar in sloe gin and it's not because they taste sweet to start with. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Boggy Posted September 16, 2017 Report Share Posted September 16, 2017 As said, it is not a bullace, they are green even when ripe. Could it be of the Solanum family ? Something like a potato vine or as mentioned nightshade ( same family) I would be inclined not to try eating them ! OB Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Whitebridges Posted September 16, 2017 Report Share Posted September 16, 2017 Looks a bit like deadly nightshade to me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
panoma1 Posted September 16, 2017 Report Share Posted September 16, 2017 (edited) Sorry guys but bullace can be either, blueblack similar to sloe.......or green. Edit to say the leaves do look plum like (bullace are a type of plum!).....but I wouldn't eat em till they are positively identified! Edited September 16, 2017 by panoma1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JDog Posted September 16, 2017 Report Share Posted September 16, 2017 Sorry guys but bullace can be either, blueblack similar to sloe.......or green. Edit to say the leaves do look plum like (bullace are a type of plum!).....but I wouldn't eat em till they are positively identified! Perfectly true. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Walker570 Posted September 16, 2017 Report Share Posted September 16, 2017 Test them by squeezing gently and if bullace they will split and the stone will pop out clean. Never ever seen any bullace other than green but you learn something new every day. If the blue bullace then the skin will be dull not shiny. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Walker570 Posted September 16, 2017 Report Share Posted September 16, 2017 This conversation made me look up bullace on wiki and there are a number of varieties and it looks like I have the Shepherd Bullace, mainly found in the south eastern counties . I am in Leicestershire but my trees originated from an allotment garden in Twickenham, so very likely these are the ones. Greenish yellow with very light reddish spots. Hard and quite 'tart' to taste until ripe. The way we decipher ripe is to shake the tree and the ones which fall are like honey. Make superb jam, crumbles with some apples and as said with addition of vodka or gin. I do have some dark blue large damsons which I assumed where just that but now think they might be the blue variety. They are growing wild where an old hedgerow ran prior to me planting the wood. None are anything like the photo. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
figgy Posted September 21, 2017 Report Share Posted September 21, 2017 They look like large sloes or bullace to me.do they have a short stalk attaching them or are they tight to the bush. Sloes and Bullace have short stalks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
old'un Posted September 22, 2017 Report Share Posted September 22, 2017 Must say they look like Black Bullace to me, Bullace are without thorns, Sloe with thorns (blackthorn). Squeeze one between you fingers, deadly nightshade have small pips in its pulp, whereas Bullace and Sloes have a single stone, try biting into one, they should taste very astringent. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
39TDS Posted September 22, 2017 Report Share Posted September 22, 2017 (edited) Looks like sloe to me. Most are dull but some are shiny, usually where the wind has caused the dullness to be wiped off. There's a name for that dullness but damned if I can think of it just now. Edit: dullness = bloom Edited September 22, 2017 by 39TDS Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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