Is a Sloe a Blueberry?

Blackthorn or sloe berries from the prunus spinosa look like blueberries. But unlike blueberries, they have a tart flavour so are best cooked before eating. They are often used to make jam or the liqueur sloe gin. Sloe berries are found on thorny shrubs and small trees and are often planted as hedgerows.

Are sloe berries related to blueberries?

How to recognise: Sloes are the small, hard, blue-black fruit of the blackthorn bush and are quite similar in appearance to large blueberries. They are harshly astringent and have a coating of pale blue powder that rubs off when picked. The blackthorn shrub has dense, spiny branches and small, oval leaves.

What type of berry is a sloe?

Sloe also known as Blackthorn (Prunus spinosa) is a thorny hedgerow plant with dark purple berries often sought after in autumn to make warming country wine or gin. The small tree or shrub also has a firm place in folk history and medicine in the British Isles.