Prunus spinosa aka Blackthorn

Prunus spinosa, commonly known as blackthorn or sloe, is a deciduous, spiny dense shrub or small tree that belongs to the rose family Rosaceae. Native to Europe, western Asia, and northwest Africa, it is also locally naturalized in New Zealand, Tasmania, and certain regions of the United States. Growing up to 5 meters tall, it has dark stems and ovate green leaves. In spring, it becomes adorned with small, double white flowers. The bark of blackthorn is blackish, and its branches are dense, stiff, and spiny. The fruit, known as a "sloe," is a drupe that measures 10-12 millimeters in diameter and has a black color with a purple-blue waxy bloom. Sloes ripen in autumn and are traditionally harvested in October or November, after the first frosts. They have a strongly astringent flavor when fresh. This species is often used to make sloe gin in Britain and patxaran in Spain. Additionally, the wood of Prunus spinosa is utilized for making walking sticks, including the Irish shillelagh. The name "blackthorn" is derived from the shrub's thorny nature and its dark bark, distinguishing it from the white-thorn (hawthorn) species.