Blackthorn, or Blackthorn for short (Prunus spinosa), is a short shrub with thorns on the stems, which belongs to the genus Plum. For this reason, it is called the prickly plum. The origin of the name is associated with the ancient Slavic language, in translation the thorn means "thorn". Blackthorn grows in temperate climatic latitudes, preferably on forest edges or in the steppes, forming continuous and impassable plantations. On the territory of Crimea and the Caucasus, thorns are found high in the mountains. In natural conditions, thickets of prickly plums are common in Western Europe, northern Africa, Siberia and Asia Minor.
People learned about the thorns even during the reign of Ancient Greece and Rome. In Christian teaching, the thorns of the thorn symbolize the suffering of God's son - Jesus. Even in the pages of scripture there is a mention of a thorn bush.
Description of the thorn bush
The thorn shrub is capable of reaching a height of 3.5 to 4.5 m. Thorn trees grow up to 8 m. Dense root growth creates a wide, branched and thorny crown, making it difficult to approach the plant. The main root is buried almost a meter into the ground, and the rhizome can extend beyond the crown circumference. The stems of the blackthorn are covered with thorns. The length of the leaves is no more than 5 cm. The shape of the leaf blades is ellipsoidal, the edges are serrated. The snow-white flowers are arranged singly. Flowering begins in the spring before the first leaves appear. In place of the flowers, purple fruits are formed, covered with wax and resembling a plum. The berries are tart and sour to taste. Their diameter does not exceed 12 mm.
The shrub bears fruit only when it reaches two or three years of age. The sloe shows resistance to drought and is considered an excellent honey plant. Even an inexperienced gardener can plant a plant and then care for it. In gardens, thorns are planted as hedges. Expanding, the branches of the bush reliably protect the slopes from landslides. For decorative purposes, the following varieties of blackthorn are used: purple, red-leaved and terry.
Planting thorns in open ground
Best time to plant thorns
The best time to plant thorns outdoors is early spring. However, the preparation of the landing hole is carried out in the fall. Due to this, the soil will settle well and be compacted. Sloe survives on saline and marginal soils and withstands spring floods. At the same time, heavy and waterlogged substrates often cause frostbite of the root system.
The most suitable site for planting thorns is an open area in the garden with nutritious neutral soil.
How to plant the turn correctly
The walls of the dug hole are covered with slate or pieces of old iron, which will protect neighboring plants from growing thorny branches.Before lowering the seedling into the pit, sprinkle the bottom with crushed eggshells, which were collected over the winter. Then the hole is filled with soil consisting of humus, superphosphate and potassium fertilizer. Soil with an acidic medium is diluted with lime. Saplings are placed at intervals of 2-3 m from each other.
For planting material, strong and healthy bushes are chosen. The roots are pretreated with sodium solution. A stake is placed at the bottom of the hole, and the soil is evenly distributed around and the seedling is placed in the center. The roots are leveled and covered with a fertilized mixture of the substrate so that the root collar peeps out above the surface by at least 3 cm.The boundaries of the trunk circle are marked with a kind of side. This method allows you to retain moisture and prevent water spreading during watering. There are about 2-3 buckets of water for each bush. After absorbing moisture, the area where the blackthorn will be grown is mulched with humus, which prevents moisture from quickly evaporating. The seedling is tied to a peg.
It is better to prune the branches of the thorns after planting the thorns. The next year, with the arrival of spring, they do sanitary and formative pruning of the shrub.
Care of thorns in the garden
Caring for a thorn bush is quite simple and will be within the power of even a novice gardener. It is important to follow several rules: water regularly, feed the plant, loosen the soil, remove weeds, cut off over-thickening branches, cover the bushes for the winter.
Watering
Immediately after planting the thorns, a one-time watering per week is enough for a young bush, then watering is reduced. Only when the blackthorn begins to grow actively, the supply of moisture is resumed. During the year, the shrubs have enough natural precipitation, but if a prolonged drought occurs, two buckets of settled water are poured under the seedlings.
Top dressing
For normal and abundant fruiting, it is necessary to feed the thorn with organic or mineral fertilizers once during the season. Bushes that grow in the same place for a long time need to be fed first.
Pruning
Thorn pruning activities are carried out in the spring, before sap flow begins. Dried and deformed branches are removed. The blackthorn has a tendency to thicken, as a result of which the crown should be regularly thinned out. Only five strong fruiting branches can be left. The cup-shaped bush is the most common for horticultural thorns.
In the fall, plant pruning is performed solely for sanitary purposes, in order to get rid of old and broken branches. This is done after the foliage has subsided, and the thorn bushes are ready for wintering.
Breeding methods for thorns
Thorns are propagated using seeds, cuttings or root suckers. The seed method is time consuming. As practice shows, vegetative reproduction is much more successful.
Seed propagation
In September, the bone of the fruit is separated from the pulp and placed in the soil. Planting is done in the spring after seed stratification. To make them germinate faster, the bones are soaked in honey syrup for several hours. After that, they are planted in a nutritious soil, deepening 6 cm into the ground. The plantings are covered with foil to create a greenhouse effect. When a couple of healthy leaves appear, the shelter is removed. After two years, the seedlings are ready to be transplanted to a new location.
Propagation by cuttings
For grafting, cuttings are chosen that have 5 healthy buds. With the arrival of spring, they are placed in a container filled with a fertile substrate, lightly covered and transferred to the greenhouse, trying to ensure constant watering and feeding. After 3-4 months, the cuttings take root.
Reproduction by offspring
Root shoots are carefully separated from the main bush, after which they are planted in shallow holes. It is better to adhere to an interval of at least a meter between individual copies.
Diseases and pests of blackthorn
Blackthorn shows resistance to various diseases and pests.Cases of moniliosis are rare. The cause of this fungal disease is the spores of monilia, which penetrate the calyx and infect young branches. Signs of the disease are darkening of leaf blades and shoots. Over time, the plant completely dies, the foliage turns yellow and falls off. Fruiting is noticeably reduced, the surface of the drupes begins to crack, the fruits rot. Treatment of shrubs with fungicidal preparations helps to cope with the fungus of moniliosis. The use of a Chorus solution is recommended. It is able to destroy the fungus even in the cold season. Other effective drugs in the fight against gray rot are Gamair, Rovral, Bordeaux mixture and copper sulfate. The preparation of solutions must be carried out strictly according to the instructions.
Dangerous pests also include aphids - insectivores that feed on plant sap and eat leaves, as a result of which the plates curl and turn yellow. Aphids multiply rapidly and seriously harm shrubs, transfer viral infections to neighboring plantings. For the destruction of aphids, acaricidal solutions of Aktara or Antitlin are used. To fix the effect, the processing is done again.
The properties of thorns: benefits and harms
Useful properties of blackthorn
The fruits of blackthorn contain a large amount of useful sugars, acids, pectin and tannins, fiber, vitamin C, E, mineral salts. Fresh or processed blackthorn berries can be astringent. They are used in the treatment of diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, ulcers, dysentery, poisoning, vitamin deficiency.
Wine made from the fruits of thorns is considered medicinal. It is recommended to add it to the diet for infectious diseases, kidney and liver pathologies, symptoms of neuralgia and metabolic disorders in the body. Eating blackthorn berries helps lower body temperature and is used as a diaphoretic.
Experts advise using the fruits and flowers of thorns if patients suffer from edema, cystitis or urolithiasis.
Thorn flowers contain unique components that have a mild laxative effect, heal wounds and skin rashes, and normalize the functioning of the kidneys and intestines. Decoctions and infusions of thorn flowers act as a diuretic and diaphoretic. Doctors prescribe decoctions for hypertension, shortness of breath and constipation.
Berry juice has antibacterial properties, which increases the body's resistance to the effects of various parasites. Reception of decoctions from blackthorn relieves inflammation of the mucous membrane. Tea made from the leaves is a good laxative for constipation. Substances contained in plant tissues relax the muscles of internal organs and reduce vascular permeability.
Contraindications
For all its useful properties, blackthorn is contraindicated for people with gastritis and stomach ulcers. Blackthorn seeds are poisonous, and berries can, in rare cases, cause an allergic reaction.
