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Scottish coastal shrub/tree (1 Viewer)

Gander

Well-known member
I have a large clump of the pictured shrub on my patch, that is very popular with the birds. Any thoughts on what it is? Some kind of Alder maybe?
 

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Nutty, please enlighten me, what is the viciously spiky hedgerow plant that surrounds my garden if this is Blackthorn?

Sorry it's a bit vague.


A
 
Got any pics, please? Several other spiny shrubs possible.

I'll try at some point but just had a knee replacement so not mobile. Our hedge is 3m high and is a great security barrier. We couldn't bag the waste as is destroys the bags, we dry it and burn it.

Had always thought it was a Blackthorn.

A
 
If it's popular with birds, presumably it has berries of some description. If so, what colour are they?
Martin
 
If it's popular with birds, presumably it has berries of some description. If so, what colour are they?
Martin

They look like Blackthorne berries but as I said, the hedge is viciously spiky and it really hurts if you get one in you!

Think this might be it, they call it Blackthorne and it's described here as 'thorny'?

http://www.farmandgardensupplies.co...4-5ft-Extra-Tall-Blackthorn-Hedge-Plants.Html

Ours is more manicured than this though but is 1m thick and 3m high in most parts, great, natural security.





A
 
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If it's popular with birds, presumably it has berries of some description. If so, what colour are they?
Martin

I've not seen any berries (Sloes) on it. Next time I'm there - maybe tomorrow, I'll try and get a closer look. There are plenty of berried Blackthorn and Hawthorn in the area, but I think the popularity of this clump comes from the cover it offers due to being large and dense. It's also halfway down a steep embankment/cliff, so human approach is difficult.
 
I keep looking at this + I'm not convinced it is pure Blackthorn. In addition to the lack of sloes, more importantly there seems to be a real absence of spininess typical of the species- it is called Prunus spinosa for a good reason!
The leaves look broader than typical Blackthorn but will admit still within the range for this.

Perhaps Prunus cerasifera or P. domestica or hybrid with one of these species? Fruits from these would be long gone.
 
More Photos

I managed to get a bit closer to the "clump" this afternoon. No sign of any fruits, but what the photos do not show well are the thorns. All on the older wood and some up to four inches long.
 

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