Spring is sprung with a blackthorn winter (From Gazette & Herald)

Spring is sprung with a blackthorn winter

OCCASIONALLY, one hears the phrase "a blackthorn winter" and this term is still used to indicate an abnormally chilly period around this time of year.

It may occur during March or early April, but the term is linked to the small shrub-like tree known as the blackthorn.

This sturdy tree is unusual because the rich white flowers appear in their profusion some considerable time before the foliage, making it very easy to identify in hedgerows and on waste ground. A small leafless tree smothered in white flowers is difficult to overlook.The beautiful flowers make a strong contrast with the bark which is almost black in colour, hence the tree's name.

It is because it blossoms in early spring when the weather can be cold and wintry, that the term "blackthorn winter" is used. A blackthorn winter is therefore the name of a rather cold springtime.

Another feature of the blackthorn is its dense, twisted branches all armed with formidable thorns. Because it spreads suckers which in turn produce thorny branches, the blackthorn can quickly form an impenetrable tangle which is highly useful as a hedge or barrier, deterring even the most wilful of cattle. Birds love the blackthorn too, because they can shelter or nest in complete safety, knowing that very few predators can reach them inside that thorny place of safety.

The blackthorn's fruit is well known to most of us because, in its raw state, it is virtually inedible. It is a beautiful-looking plum with a delightful blue-black skin bearing a tempting bloom upon it; it is, of course, the sloe whose attractive appearance belies its bitterness. It can be made into a lovely sloe gin, and some country women manage to produce tasty jam and even wine from it - but it's adviseable not to eat it directly from the tree.

The wood is also useful because it is so tough, while being capable of producing a very handsome polish. Because the tree is rather tiny, large pieces of its wood are not available and so it is used to make smaller items, such as the teeth of rakes or even walking sticks. Irish cudgels, known as shillelaghs, are fashioned from this wood whilst another of its uses is in marquetry.

Not surprisingly, a good deal of superstition surrounds the blackthorn, with some believing that a blossoming branch should never be brought indoors because it is an omen of death. I think this arises from an old belief that Christ's crown of thorns was made from this thorny wood and so it has acquired a reputation for being unlucky.

In some districts, there was a curious ritual where a crown of thorns was made from the blackthorn on New Year's morning, and then scorched in the household fire. The charred remains were then hung with mistletoe as a form of good luck bringer.

Another belief is that the blackthorn blooms at midnight on Christmas Eve, a long-term superstition which is shared with the famous Holy Thorn of Glastonbury.

The Holy Thorn which is supposed to blossom at Christmas is variously known as the whitethorn, quickthorn or may; we know it better as the hawthorn which is one of our most common and useful hedgerow plants. Trimmed and maintained, it can be moulded into a very effective barrier against both cattle and humans. It can also grow into a small tree reaching heights of 45 feet (14m) or more. The Holy Thorn of Glastonbury is a biflora variety of hawthorn which continues to flourish in that region.

The story is that Joseph of Arimathea, owner of the tomb in which Christ was placed after the Crucifixion, came to Glastonbury and stuck his hawthorn staff into the earth, whereupon it took root. It flourished to produce the famous Holy Thorn - and in fact, biflora flower around Christmas time in that part of England. There is no evidence that Joseph of Arimathea ever came to this country although he was said to have built a chapel at Glastonbury. This was destroyed by the Saxons in the seventh century - and another rumour that Christ also came to Glastonbury has never been proved either.

During land enclosures between the 16th and 18th centuries, the hawthorn was found to be extremely versatile as a quick-growing hedge which also formed a useful barrier but if you have a hedge comprising both blackthorn and hawthorn, you will make your premises very secure, whilst providing extremely useful nesting sites for a variety of birds. The hawthorn is one of our earliest in leaf and the strong scented creamy white flowers will appear in May, hence their well-known name and the song, "Here we go gathering knots of may."

Updated: 14:16 Wednesday, March 29, 2006