Sloe

Agroforestry Services: Living fence Agroforestry Services: Windbreak Industrial Crop: Oil Management: Standard Regional Crop Requires a well-drained moisture retentive soil. Succeeds in all soils except very acid peats. Succeeds in light shade but fruits better in a sunny position[11, 200]. Thrives in a loamy soil, doing well on limestone. Prefers some chalk in the soil but apt to become chlorotic if too much is present. Thrives on chalk according to another report. Plants are very resistant to maritime exposure. An important food plant for the caterpillars of several species of butterfly, especially the larvae of the brown and black hairstreak butterflies. A good bee plant. Plants are shallow-rooted and of a suckering habit, they can form dense impenetrable thickets which are ideal for nesting birds, especially nightingales. Flowers are often damaged by late frosts. Plants regenerate quickly after cutting or after fast moving forest fires, producing suckers from below ground level. This species is notably resistant to honey fungus[88, 200]. Special Features: All or parts of this plant are poisonous, Blooms are very showy. In garden design, as well as the above-ground architecture of a plant, root structure considerations help in choosing plants that work together for their optimal soil requirements including nutrients and water. The root pattern is flat with shallow roots spreading near the soil surface. The root pattern is suckering with new plants from runners away from the plant [2-1]. Harvesting typically occurs in late summer to early autumn, with specific timing varying by species. For instance, plums and peaches are usually harvested from July to September (Northern Hemisphere), while almonds are harvested in August to September (Northern Hemisphere). Prunus species usually flower in early spring, often between March and April (Northern Hemisphere), depending on the species and local climate. Growth rates vary among species, but generally, Prunus trees can grow moderately fast, often reaching full height in 3 to 5 years. However, they may take several years to bear fruit, depending on the species and growing conditions. Some Prunus species (like many plums and almonds) are self-fertile, while others (like sweet cherries and certain apricots) require cross-pollination with another compatible variety for optimal fruit set. Carbon Farming Agroforestry Services: Living fence Simply managed rows of shrubs and trees. Agroforestry Services: Windbreak Linear plantings of trees and shrubs designed to enhance crop production, protect people and livestock and benefit soil and water conservation. Industrial Crop: Oil Materials, chemicals and energy include bioplastics, biomass, glycerin, soaps, lubricants, paints, biodiesel. Oilseed crop types. Management: Standard Plants grow to their standard height. Harvest fruit, seeds, or other products. Non-Destructive management systems. Regional Crop These crops have been domesticated and cultivated regionally but have not been adopted elsewhere and are typically not traded globally, Examples in this broad category include perennial cottons and many nuts and staple fruits. References Carbon Farming Information and Carbon Sequestration Information Temperature Converter Type a value in the Celsius field to convert the value to Fahrenheit: Celsius Fahrenheit: The PFAF Bookshop Plants For A Future have a number of books available in paperback and digital form. Book titles include Edible Plants , Edible Perennials , Edible Trees , Edible Shrubs , Woodland Gardening , and Temperate Food Forest Plants . Our new book is Food Forest Plants For Hotter Conditions (Tropical and Sub-Tropical) . Shop Now

Edible Parts: Flowers Fruit Seed Edible Uses: Tea Fruit - raw or cooked[2, 5, 7, 11, 12, 13, 34]. Exceedingly astringent, it is normally cooked but once the fruit has been frosted it loses some of its astringency and some people find they can enjoy it raw[183, K]. The fruit is more usually used in jellies, syrups, conserves etc and as a flavouring for sloe gin and other liqueurs. Some fruits that we ate in December were fairly pleasant raw[K]. In France the unripe fruit is pickled like an olive. The fruit is about 15mm in diameter and contains one large seed. Seed - raw or cooked. Do not eat the seed if it is too bitter - see the notes above on toxicity. The leaves are used as a tea substitute[7, 183]. The dried fruits can be added to herbal teas. The flowers are edible and can be crystallised or sugared. References More on Edible Uses

Seed - requires 2 - 3 months cold stratification and is best sown in a cold frame as soon as it is ripe. Sow stored seed in a cold frame as early in the year as possible. Protect the seed from mice etc. The seed can be rather slow, sometimes taking 18 months to germinate. Prick out the seedlings into individual pots when they are large enough to handle. Grow them on in a greenhouse or cold frame for their first winter and plant them out in late spring or early summer of the following year. Cuttings of half-ripe wood with a heel, July/August in a frame[11, 200]. Softwood cuttings from strongly growing plants in spring to early summer in a frame. Layering in spring. Division of suckers during the dormant season. They can be planted out direct into their permanent positions.