Sloe

sloe or blackthorn Prunus spinosa, a common wild hedgerow bush throughout Europe and W. Asia, is probably the only plum species native to Britain. Its small, black fruits are a byword for mouth-puckering astringency. Yet they make excellent jam, are infused to produce sloe gin, and are fermented to make other kinds of alcoholic drinks. Couplan (1983) writes that preserved in vinegar they are a good imitation of umeboshi.