Blackthorn is not so easy to collect - the entire plant is densely covered with tenacious spines. But the medicinal value encourages traditional healers and representatives of official medicine to harvest thorn raw materials no matter what, because the harm of thorns lies only in its “prickliness”.

General characteristics of the plant

Blackthorn is a spreading, thorny shrub with plum-colored drupes, which is why one of the popular names of the plant is prickly plum.

Botanical description

The root shoot plant can grow in the form of a tall tree, up to 6 m tall, or in the form of a bush. The thorn bush has a main trunk and a highly branched voluminous crown, reaching a height of 3 m.

  • Roots. The plant is anchored in the soil by a powerful root system with fleshy rhizomes and lateral roots, which provide the thorn with a sufficient amount of moisture.
  • Stems. Stem wood is particularly durable. The main trunk is covered with brown or dark brown bark. It is erect and highly branched. On the surface of the trunk and branches of the thorn there are many prickly thorns. One-year-old young shoots often emerge from the rhizomes of thorns, which are localized around the trunk and form a kind of thicket. Their surface is velvety to the touch due to dense pubescence. The shoots end with a thorn.
  • Leaves. They are regularly replaced with young ones as the plant matures. Wedge-shaped at the base, they have a pointed apex. The shape of the leaf blade is obovate or elliptical. Each leaf sits on a branch on a medium-length petiole. The edge of the leaf plate resembles sharp saw teeth. A characteristic feature is the blooming of leaves as the flowers fade.
  • Flowers. They have a very delicate, white-pink color. They emit a subtle, pleasant aroma that attracts bees well, which makes sloe an excellent honey plant. Flowering begins early - in April, and can last until mid-May. Blackthorn thickets bloom en masse, attracting insects. The flowers are arranged on the branches so densely that it seems as if the entire bush is covered with a white tablecloth.
  • Fruit. They are attached to thorn branches using medium-length stalks. The fruit is a drupe, distinguished by juicy pulp, strongly associated with the seed. The green flesh of the fruit has a sweet-sour taste and astringency, which disappears soon after the first frost. The fruit itself is small, its diameter can reach 1.5 cm. The fruits are dark blue in color and densely covered with a waxy bluish coating.

Interestingly, the ripe fruits are attached to the branches so tightly that they can remain until next spring. From an adult bush you can collect up to 4 kg of fruit.

Habitat

Sloe thickets consist of small bushes. When the plant develops singly, it forms a voluminous tall bush. Often blackthorn can be found on the side of the road, on a sunny forest edge or in a wasteland. Thickets form in ravines and on slopes, as well as in ravines. Sloes develop especially well in soil rich in lime salts.

The growing area of ​​the thorn is the European continent, Asia Minor, and North Africa. Often found in Ukraine, Belarus, Moldova, Kazakhstan. On the territory of Russia, it actively grows in the European part, as well as in the North of Siberia.

Procurement of raw materials

The saturation of the plant with useful substances makes it possible for all its parts to be used for medicinal purposes. Sloes are harvested in stages for the winter.

  • Harvesting bark. Begins in early spring - in March. The bark is cut in slices from the main trunk and adult branches. The area of ​​the cuts should be small to quickly heal the damage. Do not damage the wood with a knife, so as not to destroy the plant. The thorn bark is laid out in the sun in the open air or dried using a dryer at a temperature of about 60 ° C.
  • Preparation of flowers. It begins in mid-April - the period of budding or the beginning of flowering. The inflorescences are carefully cut or torn off and laid out under diffused sunlight on a fabric or paper tray. Dry, turning the raw materials regularly.
  • Preparation of leaves. It begins after the plant has completely flowered, when all the flowers have already withered and the leaves have bloomed well. It is advisable to collect the largest leaves and dry them under a canopy in the open air or in a dryer.
  • Harvesting young shoots. They are collected in the middle and end of June, since it is then that the greatest concentration of useful substances is concentrated in the shoots. Young shoots are tied into panicles and hung in diffused sunlight or in a shaded place in the open air. You can spread the raw materials in a thin layer on a tray or dry them in an oven or dryer.
  • Harvesting fruits. It begins in September, when the still greenish fruits contain a large amount of tannins. Sloe harvesting continues until mid-October. It is at this time that pleasant-tasting berries are collected, ideal for making desserts and jams, as well as broad-spectrum medicines. A certain part of the tannins remains in the fruits even after frost.
  • Harvesting roots. Starts in late autumn. It is advisable to carry out harvesting among artificial or naturally growing thickets, since it is there that the restoration of the number of plant individuals occurs quickly. Dig up the roots, wash them with running cold water, dry them in the sun and dry them in an oven or electric oven.

To obtain fresh fruit in winter, you can freeze sloe. To do this, the berries are sorted, washed with clean water, and dried to remove moisture. After this, the fruits are laid out on a wide tray in one layer and placed in the freezer for a couple of hours. The berries are poured into a bag or plastic container.

Frozen fruits can be stored for no more than six months. Dried fruits, leaves, inflorescences, shoots are stored for a year in a well-ventilated dark place, packed in paper or fabric bags. The bark and roots can be stored for up to three years.

Why are berries valuable...

All parts of the sloe are rich in tannins, which have a number of therapeutic properties.

  • Astringent action. It is manifested by the ability of the tannins of thorn fruits to form albuminates - special proteins of a dense structure - with the proteins of the skin and mucous membranes. A film of albuminates protects damaged areas of the epithelium from mechanical and chemical irritation.
  • Healing effect. Under the influence of tannins, irritation of damaged areas is reduced, this accelerates the rate of epithelization.
  • Antimicrobial action. The tannins of sloe fruits have bacteriostatic and fungistatic properties, that is, they eliminate bacterial and fungal infections and prevent their development in the area of ​​skin damage.
  • Antiexudative action. Thorn reduces the production of exudate in the damaged area, dries out weeping wounds and ulcers.
  • Anti-inflammatory effect. It lies in the ability of thorns to reduce the production of prostaglandins and leukotrienes - the main mediators of inflammation that provoke hyperemia and swelling of inflamed tissues.

In addition to tannins, thorn fruits contain a lot of other useful components.

Sloe leaves, in addition to tannins, contain bitterness, flavonoids, and phytoncides. This gives them beneficial properties for health:

  • anti-inflammatory;
  • antibacterial;
  • antioxidant;
  • antiplatelet;
  • vozoprotective;
  • cardiac stimulant;
  • secretory.

The chemical composition of thorn flowers has not been thoroughly studied. It is known that the glycoside amygdalin contained in it is in low concentrations, and therefore has therapeutic properties:

  • diuretic;
  • laxative;
  • diaphoretic;
  • expectorant;
  • antispasmodic;
  • antibacterial.

The bark and roots of thorns are saturated with tannins, and therefore are actively used as an antidiarrheal agent.

The glycoside amygdalin is found in high concentrations in the thorn seed. It should not be swallowed due to the toxicity of the substance mentioned. Amygdalin breaks down in the body to form poison - hydrocyanic acid.

Benefits of Turns

Sloe flowers and leaves are actively used in folk medicine as a diuretic for various intoxications and swelling of the heart or kidneys. The beneficial effect of thorn leaves on blood vessels helps combat capillary fragility and varicose veins. Indications for the use of sloe for vascular pathologies are expanding to vasculitis, due to its anti-inflammatory properties.

The diaphoretic properties of thorn fruits are useful for feverish conditions, and the antibacterial properties are useful for inflammatory and infectious skin diseases. In addition, it is known that preparations from thorn flowers can eliminate nausea.

Improving metabolism when using sloe helps alleviate the patient's condition with gout, since the plant is able to remove salt deposits from the body. The hypoglycemic effect of berries makes it possible to use them for diabetes.

Medicinal preparations of the root and bark are used for diarrhea, as a strengthening agent, as well as for colitis of various origins, to restore and optimize intestinal function.

Impact on the body

The rich chemical composition of the fruits determines their widespread use for medicinal purposes.

Sloes are also given anti-allergic properties due to their detoxifying properties. Interestingly, most of the therapeutic effects of thorns are not accompanied by side effects. It is for this reason that contraindications for sloe include only individual hypersensitivity reactions. But the use of sloe during breastfeeding and pregnancy must be agreed with your doctor.

Therapeutic use

Recipes for using sloe are varied. Below are the most common ones.

Infusion

Peculiarities. Taken orally for the treatment of chronic diseases of the liver, kidneys, and ureter. With the help of infusion you can significantly speed up your metabolism. Cleansing the body allows you to get rid of skin diseases of an infectious and allergic nature. The infusion is used to wash wounds, eliminate rashes, and also on the face as a remedy for acne.

Preparation and use

  • Two tablespoons of a mixture of flowers and leaves are poured into a glass of slightly cooled boiled water.
  • The product is infused all night (about eight hours).
  • In the morning, strain, take a quarter glass orally, three times a day.

Decoction

Peculiarities. Using this decoction you can reduce fever, remove symptoms of fever and speed up recovery from colds and viral diseases.

Preparation and use

  1. Dried rhizomes (5 g), pour a glass of boiling water, place in a slowly boiling water bath.
  2. Simmer the product for half an hour.
  3. Remove from the bath, cool for three hours, then filter.
  4. Take a quarter glass orally, three times a day.

Fruit remedy

Peculiarities. A decoction of the fruit is taken orally for various inflammatory diseases, regardless of their location (rheumatism, gout, cystitis, pancreatitis, colitis, bronchitis).

Preparation and use

  1. A couple of tablespoons of dried fruits are poured with half a liter of boiling water.
  2. The fruits are simmered over low heat for 10 minutes.
  3. After removing from heat, filter the product. Take half a glass, four times a day, before meals.

Tincture

Peculiarities. When making a tincture of thorns, it is necessary to take into account the fact that before preparing it, the fruits are rinsed with water, without washing off the waxy coating.

Preparation and use

  1. A kilogram of ripe, washed fruits, freed from seeds, is placed in a glass jar, filled with 300 g of sugar.
  2. The neck of the jar is covered with gauze. The vessel is placed for three days in a warm and sunny place.
  3. Pour vodka or diluted alcohol into the fermented mixture and mix thoroughly.
  4. The jar is closed with a lid. Infuse the mixture for two weeks at room temperature.
  5. The first week you need to shake the jar daily.
  6. After the infusion period has expired, the resulting drink is filtered through several layers of gauze.
  7. Take 30 ml orally, three times a day.

Often, thorn fruits are included in preparations for weight loss, blood pressure correction, and inflammation relief.

Role in cooking

Sloe fruits are actively used for preparing first and second courses, desserts and sauces. The famous tkemali sauce includes the sweet and sour pulp of these fruits. Bulgarians add fruits to porridges to give them a special flavor. Sloe jam and jam, as well as jelly and compotes with its addition, have a special taste.

Lovers of home-made drinks appreciated the taste of the fruit. Prickly plums are used to flavor vodka, and moonshine is prepared from overripe berries. Sloe-based wine has an interesting color and a sweet-sour, slightly astringent taste. Making sloe liqueur at home has also gained popularity.

Pouring

Peculiarities. It takes a long time to prepare, but the result is a very tasty and healthy low-alcohol drink.

Preparation

  1. 4 kg of fresh, ripe thorns are pitted, placed in a container, 3 kg of sugar is added, and 200 ml of water is added.
  2. The mixture is placed in a warm, sunny place for fermentation. The neck of the container is tied with gauze.
  3. After active fermentation begins, the container is transferred to a warm place, a rubber glove is put on the neck, piercing one finger.
  4. Infusion in a warm place is carried out until the glove is completely deflated.
  5. The drink is filtered into storage containers and placed in the basement for a month to age.

The beneficial properties of thorns are relevant in everyday life. Artificial planting of thorns is often carried out to strengthen the soil near ravines and the banks of a reservoir. A powerful root system prevents soil displacement and landslides. Sloes are often grown as hedges to protect garden plots. With proper care of the plant, you can form a crown or bushes, turning this quality to the benefit of the farm.

According to reviews from breeders, the sloe is perfect for the role of rootstock in the selection of new species of apricot, peach and other garden plants. The wood and bark are used for tanning leather. By boiling the fruits in alkali, a red dye is obtained. Popular in furniture production, because its red-brown wood lends itself well to polishing.

The healing properties of thorns have been known for a long time. Thanks to modern research, they are not refuted by modern official medicine. In ancient times, the plant was endowed with magical properties, and the places where the thorn seeds sprouted were considered sacred.

Blackthorn is not an ordinary plant. Many gardeners and gardeners do not like it, as it is a thorny bush with small sour berries. Sloes are a type of plum. To collect it, you will have to overcome all the thorns with which it protects itself from the outside world.

Thorn has many beneficial properties. Despite its sour and tart taste, various preparations for the winter are made from it. Blackthorn berries contain vitamins B and C, organic acids, carotene, minerals and other beneficial substances. They are famous for their ability to boost immunity, provide the body with protective forces and prevent vitamin deficiency.

If fresh blackthorn fruits are rarely consumed due to their special taste, then, as practice shows, they are eaten first in preparations made from thorn berries with added sugar. The sour-sweet taste with an unusual shade is liked by both adults and children.

Sloe jam without seeds

Jam is the most popular winter preparation, which can be made from almost any berries, fruits and even vegetables. Sloe jam is a delicious delicacy that will take its rightful place on your table.

Before you start making jam, you need to remove the seed from each berry. To do this, put the thorns in a saucepan, add water and cook for twenty minutes. When the berries become soft, drain them in a colander and cool. After this, you can remove the seeds.

An important note - the water in which the sloe was cooked should not be poured out, this will be the basis for preparing the syrup.

Place the prepared berries in this water, add granulated sugar and cook until the sugar dissolves. Don't forget to stir the jam periodically. When there are no grains of sugar left in the syrup, the jam is considered almost ready. Boil it for another 15 minutes, then remove from heat and place hot in jars.

Sloe jam

If you want to make delicious jam, sloe is perfect for this purpose. You just have to be patient. First, the sloe berries (well washed) should be filled with water and left in this form for 12 hours. It is very convenient to soak the berries overnight. In the morning, drain the water, pour water over the berries and add a glass of dry white wine. Cook the berries until they become soft.

Rub the cooled soft berries through a sieve to remove seeds and skins. You will get a fragrant puree with a beautiful color. Weigh it and add wine to the puree, based on the proportion - a glass of wine per kilogram of sloe puree. Vary the amount of granulated sugar to your taste. Cook the jam until it thickens. When hot, put into jars and seal.

Sloe jelly

Blackthorn berries contain enough pectin to make jelly. However, to do this, you first need to extract the juice from them. A regular juicer will do. Add a kilogram of granulated sugar per liter of juice and cook the resulting mixture until thickened. At least a third of the original volume should evaporate. The longer you cook the jelly, the thicker it will become. Pour hot jelly into jars and seal. As it cools, it will become even denser.

Sloe compote

Compote is the second most popular sweet preparation after jam. Many housewives like to close compotes for the reason that it is quite simple. For compote, choose ripe but firm blackthorn berries. Wash them and place them in sterilized dry jars, filling about a third of the volume.

Boil water in a large saucepan and pour it over the sloe. Cover the jars with lids and leave to cool. Then drain the water back into the pan. Add a glass of granulated sugar to a liter of jarred water and cook the compote until it boils. Pour the boiling syrup back into the jars and seal them.

Sloe liqueur

Blackthorn takes a long time to prepare, but this delicious homemade alcoholic drink will not leave anyone indifferent. Wash the ripe berries, dry them and place them in a suitable container (bottle). The weight of berries and sugar is calculated in a 2:1 ratio. Cover the neck of the bottle with a bandage and place it in a warm, sunny place. After a month and a half, pour water into the fermented berries at the rate of 100 g per kilogram of sloe. Forget about blackthorn for another four months.

After this time, pour the resulting mixture into a large heat-resistant container and place it on the fire. Add more vodka at the rate of 0.9 liters per kilogram of berries (meaning the weight of the raw materials). Bring the blackthorn to a boil, cook for a few minutes and remove from heat. When the liqueur has cooled, pour it into bottles and seal. Now be patient - the blackthorn will be finally ready only in six months.

It’s completely in vain that salted thorns are called Russian olives. This is not an imitation, not a replacement of a more valuable ingredient with a simpler analogue - an incredibly tasty dish cannot be compared with anything.
This is not a whim of thrifty housewives: in Rus', soaked and salted thorns were prepared for the winter along with pickled apples and pickled cucumbers, salted, pickled in Ancient Rome. There are similar recipes in French, Caucasian and even Japanese cuisine.
Most recipes for pickling thorns share a preparation method: the fruits are poured with strong brine, then with oil or a marinade including vinegar.

TIME: 14

Easy

Servings: 6

Ingredients

  • Fresh sloe 2.2-2.5 kg;
  • Salt 50-65 g (5-7 tbsp);
  • Water 1-1.2 l;
  • Refined vegetable oil 1-1.2 l;
  • Cloves 3-5 pcs.;
  • Bay leaf 1-2 pcs.;
  • Allspice 5-7 pcs.

Preparation

Sort the thorns, removing spoiled and cracked berries, tear off the stalks, and rinse.


Fully ripe thorns are suitable for pickling, without intense bitterness. By this time, the blue skin of the berries becomes wrinkled, and the fruits themselves become sweeter.
Tart fruits that have not had time to ripen should not be pickled: even if they are stronger, their skin may not have a single wrinkle, but the sour, overly tart taste cannot be corrected by soaking in salt water.
Prepare a strong brine at the rate of 50-65 g of salt per 1-1.2 liters of boiled water, pour in the sorted sloe for 30-45 minutes, then drain the slightly cloudy liquid.

Bring 1-1.2 liters of clean water to a boil again, add 5-7 tbsp. salt, bay leaf, spices. Boil for 1-2 minutes.


Fill the jars with sloe, pour chilled brine, tie with gauze or linen napkin.


Next, proceed according to the principle of pickling cucumbers: leave for 3-4 hours at room temperature, then place in the refrigerator for 10-12 days. After a few days, the sloe will become lighter and the brine will turn ruby.


Important: cover the jars with lids and periodically turn and shake to stir up the salt. If the berries that have absorbed the liquid increase noticeably and rise above the brine level, you will have to install pressure on top.


If the tart taste of the berries does not soften within 2 weeks, they are left in brine for several days, tasting them periodically.
Remove the fruits from the brine and rinse in boiled water. Return to jars, fill up to the hangers with a natural preservative - refined vegetable oil.


After 5-7 days, the sloe is ready - you can safely treat yourself to the spicy berries with a viscous, slightly salty taste.


It is better to store salted sloe, like all pickles, in the refrigerator. Shelf life is no more than 4-5 months: the oil may go rancid, and the berries, despite pre-salting, may turn sour over time.


It is difficult to compare salted sloe with classic olives - rather, they are similar in purpose.
Tender pulp without tart notes, salty taste - the so-called sloe olives, reminiscent of spicy plums, can be served with meat dishes and fish, and with wine. Like olives, thorns can be used anywhere - in salads, appetizers, in preparing hot dishes, and for serving.

There are many uses for sloe: from use in the preparation of preserves and desserts, to cooking with meat in the form of sauces or even for salting. We will discuss some of the many recipes for preparing thorns below.

Tkemali from thorns - recipe

Since sloe is one of the varieties of plum, one of the most popular plum sauces, tkemali, can be prepared on its basis. The result will be a light, sour, astringent sauce, ideal for poultry and meat.

Ingredients:

  • thorn – 1 kg;
  • , cilantro - in a bunch;
  • hot pepper – 1 pc.;
  • garlic – 4 cloves;
  • sugar and salt - to taste.

Preparation

You don’t have to complicate your work, but simply rinse the turn and throw it entirely into an enamel saucepan. Next, so that the berries are well steamed, add a glass of water, cover everything with a lid and boil for 15 minutes. Cool the soft sloes slightly and rub through a sieve, removing seeds and remaining skin. Sweeten the resulting puree and add salt to taste, add chopped herbs, pureed garlic and hot pepper to it. Add a little water if there is a need for liquid, and leave the tkemali to cook for another 10 minutes.

Soaked thorns - a recipe for preparing for the winter

Soaking sloe in brine is reminiscent of the process of soaking vegetables or sauerkraut: the berries are dipped in the brine and left to ferment, and the lactic acid and alcohol released during the process help the berries to be stored for a long time.

Ingredients:

  • thorn – 9.7 kg;
  • sugar – 135 g;
  • salt – 65 g;
  • water – 4.8 l.

Preparation

Treat the containers you use (wooden, glass) well before placing the berries in them. Prepare a simple brine by dissolving salt and sugar crystals in water, and then pour it over the sloe itself and leave it under pressure in a cool place (a basement is ideal, but you can do it in the refrigerator) for a month.

Sloes like olives - recipe

Ingredients:

  • thorn – 1.4 kg;
  • salt – 75 g;
  • laurel leaf – 1 pc.;
  • allspice (peas) – 2-3 pcs.

Preparation

Remove the stems from the washed thorns and place them in clean jars. From the remaining ingredients, cook the brine and pour it over the thorns. Cover the containers with plastic lids and leave to infuse in a cool place for a week. When the thorns are salted, the brine can be drained and replaced with odorless vegetable oil; it will act as a preservative and extend the “life” of the preparation.

Recipe for making sloe jam in a slow cooker

Ingredients:

  • thorn – 3.2 kg;
  • sugar – 2.9 kg;
  • water – 115 ml.

Preparation

Divide the sorted and washed thorns in half, remove the seeds, and place the pulp itself in a multicooker bowl, sprinkling each layer with sugar. Pour some water into the bowl and leave the fruits to release the juice for a couple of hours. After time has passed, turn on the “Stew” mode for half an hour, and begin preparing the jars yourself. Pour the bubbling jam into jars and seal immediately.

Recipe for making sloe wine

Thorn (thorn or prickly plum) is a tall shrub belonging to the rose family. The fruits of this plant have the same name and resemble in appearance the fruits of the common plum. The branches of the bush are strewn with needles. Since the bushes most often grow very close to each other, they form real thorny thickets. It may seem that the plant got its name because the fruits of the bush have a tart taste and aroma, but this is not true. Translated from Old Church Slavonic, thorn means “thorn,” which fully corresponds to a bush.
The plant prefers a temperate climate and grows in the forest-steppe zone. A curious fact is that thorns begin to bloom in early spring, when there are no leaves on the bush. The fruit is a drupe. The pulp of the fruit does not lag behind the seed and is green in color. The surface of the thorn plum skin is resinous with a bluish coating. The plant bears fruit late, closer to mid-autumn. In this case, plums can hang on the bush all winter. Blackthorn fruits are widely used in cooking and homemade preparations for the winter.
Sloe plum is rich in vitamins, minerals, beneficial microelements and acids of plant origin. The fruit also contains tannins, resins, fiber and pectin. Plum, both fresh and processed, has an astringent effect, so it is useful for stomach and intestinal upsets. Normalized consumption of the product helps increase appetite and improve metabolism in the body.
Sloe is contraindicated for use by people with high acidity. It is also very important to know that only the pulp of the entire fruit can be consumed. The peel of the plum is tart, bitter and sour at the same time, and it is also very difficult to digest in the stomach. Thorn seeds contain poison, so they should never be used in cooking. Preserving plums with pits is allowed, but such a product can be stored for no more than one year.

You can grow sloe yourself or purchase the fruits for preparing various dishes at the market. Only ripe plums without external damage are suitable for harvesting. Although the thorn fruit is characterized by a bluish bloom, it should not be confused with mold. The skin of the drupe should be rough and dry. Purchased or collected shrub fruits can be stored at room temperature or in the refrigerator for three days.
Sloe plums are very rarely used for preparing everyday dishes, but they are very popular in preparations for future use. At home, thorns can be pickled or soaked with spices. Tkemali sauce is also prepared from tart fruits. If we talk about sweet preparations, then this is jam or jam, which is preferably prepared only from seedless pulp.
Winter preparations using simple and tasty recipes with step-by-step photos are presented below. From the instructions you can also learn how to properly store sloe preserves at home.