Are these Sloes? Or something else?

Chunters_a_lot

Sorry the pic is massive!

My niece has picked these for me because she knows I like making jam. She was told they were sloes, but I'm not much good with the hedgerow stuff yet - so I'm not sure.

Are they sloes? If so have they been picked to soon to make gin or jam?

If they are not sloes - could they be damsons or plums and would they be ok to use now?

Hope someone can help, thank you x

Penelope_Penguin

They don't look like sloes to me - sloes are darker purple. Do you have a pic of the leaf? Can you cut them openand photo the stone - they look more like plums to me

This is sloes:



Penny. x

Mel2

I don't think they look like sloe berries. Sloes are more bluey/purple. Definitely not damsons either as they are more purple in colour and not as round. Could possibly be cherry plums but hard to tell from a photo.

Chunters_a_lot

I haven't a pic of the tree but I'll go and get one of the stone in a minute, thanks for the replys:j

Seakay

There are many varieties of damson, and not all are round, so they could be damsons or plums (either wild plums or escapees)
Either way pretty sure they are too big for sloes (although might have guessed wrong at bowl size) and not at all the right colour.

Chunters_a_lot

I've cut the stone out - its at the bottom of the pic. I put a 10p piece in there for scale too. I was very brave and had a little taste:D - quite sweet with a little sharpness and very plummy texture. Sorry I've never tasted damsons or sloes direct from the tree so can not compare but I think we moved away from sloes already anyway.

thriftlady_2

Definitely plums of some kind;)

Seakay

I think that they could be cherry plums:
http://www.pfaf.org/database/plants.php?Prunus+cerasifera

Chunters_a_lot

Thanks All:j

I'll see if there enough for some plum jam - if not some sort of crumble / tart for tea tonight:T

Whistling_Gypsy

I would say definately cherry plums - my OH brought 12lbs of these home last week (all windfalls) - we have plum wine, plum jam, plum chutney and plum crumbles now!!! Blummin gorgeous!!

Penelope_Penguin

Chunters_a_lot wrote: »

I've cut the stone out - its at the bottom of the pic. I put a 10p piece in there for scale too. I was very brave and had a little taste:D - quite sweet with a little sharpness and very plummy texture. Sorry I've never tasted damsons or sloes direct from the tree so can not compare but I think we moved away from sloes already anyway.

I told you the stone would give it away Definitely a plum. Upon tasting, you'd have known a sloe - so tart and dry in dissolves your tooth enamel and turns your mouth inside out

Penny. x