Ogham Studies - Straif (Blackthorn)

[Fitheach]

(U.C. Botanical Gardens, Berkeley, California)

One of my favorite trees, the incredible Blackthorn Tree, called Draighionn in Scots Gaelic.  

Please post your experiences, impressions, etc. with this awesome magical tree.


Straif

The sinister Blackthorn,
Of the dark Moonless Night,
A weird, eerie tree, sworn
To put evil to flight.

A tree of dense thickets,
a strong boundary wall,
And sharp thorn pickets,
That prevail against all.

She dances the Dark
and magic she’ll weave,
For she is the Monarch
Of Samhain Eve.


http://www.susa-morgan-black.net/smb/Ar ... kthorn.pdf

[Alferian]

Hello Fitheach, my dear.  What a lovely photo.

I'm trying to get Astrocelt to harvest some blackthorn wands for me to carve.  He's in Gwynedd.  It interests me that there is a specimen blackthorn at the UC Berkeley botanical gardens.  Where would one go about procuring a blackthorn seedling to plant in one's garden?  Has blackthorn been introduced anywhere in North America?

I often use Plum as a close approsimate to blackthorn, a near relative.  A friend of mine was kind enough to give me some branches pruned from an old plum in his garden.  Very thorny and cantankerous wood.  I planted a tiny plum sapling in my front garden which I hope will eventually grow over our front walk, but I should very much like to grow blackthorn.  Any ideas?  Is there are black market among botanists?

Alferian

[Fitheach]

Hi, Alferian!

My favorite wand is the blackthorn you carved for me!  

We're growing blackthorns in our yard, and ordered them by catalogue from Oikos Tree Crops.  Their website is http://www.oikostreecrops.com
They list it as "Sloe Plum".  

"Sloe Plum
Dwarf growing shrub found throughout Europe. Widely used at one time for jellies, syrups, conserves, olives and flavoring for gin and herbal teas. Eaten fresh the fruit is very bitter. Sloe plum is the plant that is found in Irish folklore said to create good effects. Dense branching with lots of fruit spurs. Our Ecos strain is from the variety ‘Plena’ noted for its prolific flowering and fruit. Height 3-5 ft. Hardiness -35°F."

[Alferian]

Thank you my dear!

I've ordered two.  I also ordered a holly and one called "Scarlet Firethorn" because I couldn't resist the name!  What fun!  New little plants to keep me happy until the ground thaws.

Alferian

[Fitheach]

I'm sure your nursery will do very well!  California is a bit dry for native British plants.

[Beith]

aha! but they love the wine Susa...they love the wine!

smiles,
Beith

[Fitheach]

You mean I should offer my trees wine instead of water???  Okaaay.

[Dryadia2]

Native Texas Blackthorn
http://www.freewebs.com/dryadia/nativet ... kthorn.htm

[Serpentia]

What a wonderful plant!! It must be all over this place, I'm familiar with its name and its berries (if you have the chance to try liquor made from them.. in German called "Schlehenlikör", do it!) but I would never have recognized it! I just never thought about it, honestly...

In spring, I will certainly look for its white blossoms and until then, enjoy the preserves. "Schlehdorn", one of its many names in German, is quite popular in the health food crowd.

What a fascinating tree, but not many stories for it in Germany.

Serpentia

[D'Arzhur]

I was standing in front of my edge this summer looking at the Hawthorn when I suddently noticed the Blackthorn in the middle...
A real treat encounter for an Ovate on an Ogam search
Got to look for that "Schlehenlikör" now... I wonder if the Dutch and the French also make their own

[DaRC]

In the UK it is famous - Sloe Gin but I hate gin so I make Sloe Vodka:

300g Sloes
the old advice was to pick them after the first frost as this makes the sloes sweeter - but failing that put the picked sloes in the fridge overnight
150g Sugar
70cl Vodka

Prick the Sloes and pop them into a bottle, pour the sugar in and cover with the vodka.
Turn/shake the bottle every day until the sugar has dissolved - then shake once a week.
Leave for a minimum of 6 weeks, I usually bottle by Samhuin and start drinking at Yule, but the longer you leave it the deeper and spicier the flavour.

Also the Shillelagh was traditionally made of Blackthorn - I always think of the English word Strife (as in Trouble & Strife) when I see Straif
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shillelagh_%28club%29

The thorns themselves are long and as hard as nails they are one of the main culprits for punctures on my MTB.

[Huathe]

I would probably love Blackthorn. This one I don't think I have ever seen.

[Serpentia]

James, is that a first? Guess after you have shown me around Congaree, you will have to come to Glastonbury for one of those wonderful OBOD gatherings. Lots of black and white thorns there!

[D'Arzhur]

Thanks for the recipe Darc!

[Huathe]

James, is that a first? Guess after you have shown me around Congaree, you will have to come to Glastonbury for one of those wonderful OBOD gatherings. Lots of black and white thorns there!

I will have to consult ENTS on where to find Blackthorn here in the US, still, I would love to go to Glastonbury to the OBOD gathering. I bet it is awesome!

[Lily]

300g Sloes
150g Sugar
70cl Vodka

Prick the Sloes and pop them into a bottle, pour the sugar in and cover with the vodka

I made it with gin - you don't taste the gin anymore later. Vodka version was too "ethanolic" for me.
Leaving it to steep for a long time brings the bitter almond flavor from the pits out.


just trying a 7 month old dram of it