The blackthorn (Prunus spinosa) is a wild shrub from the rose family, which grows in lowland areas but can also be found in mountainous regions, sometimes reaching a height of 3 meters. Among all wild fruits, blackthorn berries are the richest in tannins. Tannins are very powerful antioxidants that act on the body’s immunity, giving these wild fruits the quality of a strong disinfectant. Tannins start their action in the oral cavity, where they remove tartar from teeth, then in the esophagus, where they act like an oil on inflamed tonsils, and in the stomach, where they become a gastric dressing.
In addition to tannins, blackthorn berries also contain important minerals such as calcium, potassium, zinc, iron, copper, sodium, magnesium, as well as vitamins (provitamin A, B complex vitamins, and vitamin C).
The fruits have astringent and diuretic properties and are recommended for stomach pains, diarrhea, dysentery, kidney disorders, biliary dyskinesia, gout, whooping cough, and stimulating digestion. They are also used as a disinfectant for the urinary tract and in the treatment of arthritis.
For their therapeutic properties, they are used in the form of decoctions, juices, compotes, syrups, jams, ciders, teas, wines, must, or combined with honey. The flowers, buds, leaves, and bark of the blackthorn are also used.
The flowers of the blackthorn are used in preparations to combat headaches and heart conditions, while the buds have a general tonic effect, stimulating growth and development mechanisms and addressing hormonal imbalances. The leaves are harvested in July and are recommended for skin eruptions, kidney diseases, bladder issues, and for eliminating toxins from the body. Tea made from the bark of the shrub helps in cleansing the lungs.
The best time to harvest blackthorn berries is after the first frost, but they can also be picked in winter, as they are resistant to frost, although the astringent taste is much diminished.
Recipes:
Blackthorn Jam
Ingredients:
3 kg blackthorn berries,
2 lemons,
5 packets of vanilla sugar,
1 cinnamon stick,
900 g sugar,
900 ml water.
Preparation method:
Remove the stems from the blackthorn berries, then wash and let them drain; in a pot, boil the blackthorn berries with 900 ml of water for 30 minutes, stirring frequently to prevent sticking; after boiling, strain through a fine sieve and then return the resulting pulp to boil with the peels and juice from the two lemons, vanilla, cinnamon stick, and 900 g of sugar; let it boil for about 15 minutes, then pour hot into jars. Allow to form a thin crust, then seal tightly and store in a suitable place.
Blackthorn Wine
Ingredients:
6 kg blackthorn berries,
6 liters of water,
1 kg sugar,
2 lemons,
cinnamon.
Preparation method:
Wash the fruits and soak them in water over low heat for 15 minutes, then remove the pot from the heat and let it sit until the next day; strain the liquid through a sieve, and place the fruits in a separate pot; in a quarter of the extracted liquid, boil the sugar for 10 minutes, then pour it over the remaining liquid and mix; the resulting juice is placed in demijohns, sealed with a fermentation stopper, and left for 5-6 weeks at a temperature below 20 degrees Celsius, then bottled and sealed with corks.
