Has anybody grown this plant Prunus spinosa (sloe berry) in the PNW?

I am considering it for a hedgerow.

Is there a source for cuttings?

Thanks, Nancy

I think FOrest Farm in Williams, OR may have it.
John S
PDX OR
They do send through their catalog.

I have it. On it's own roots it's shrubby and it suckers. Mine has large fruit for the species.
-Lon R.

Lon, is it something you would recommend?

We have other semi cultivated plants that some people like to eat and some don't like (like Aronia melanocarpa) in the hedge I am building.

I was listening to a British podcast (Wiggly Wigglers!) and they were mentioning sloe gin. and it intrigued me. I am easily intrigued.

Nancy

It's not a fruit you'd eat raw. The bushes could be sheared into a hedge without much work, though that would make them harder to pick. Unless you make sloe gin or jam, there isn't much you can do with the fruit. I have some White Bullace plums that hang on as long as the sloe (into October) and make much better jam and decent fresh fruit.

…had to look this one up: It appears to be a British thing

It's not in the PNW, but Oikos used to carry sloe plum. Not sure if they still do or not. Ken has started selling seeds as well, so it's possible you could start your own plants that way. If they grow anything like American plum you'd have a 4-5' sapling at the end of a year.

Just checked, Oikos has bareroot stock available, but no seeds/pits.

Looked like you get twenty five 4-12" seedlings for less than $2 each.

You can get suckers from me if you dig them.

Prunus spinosa (sloe berry) is a major invasive shrub on our tree farm in the Coburg hills south of Brownsville. It should not be grown or distributed further in this state.