Berries Abound

Early years forest schools with my son taught me a few basics about various fruit and fauna which we encountered while exploring outside. On a recent dog walk I noticed how many berries remain in place, while the leaves around them have fallen.

Blackberries were plentiful this year, and plundered by humans and other animals during late August and September. Now we are two thirds of the way through autumn, it is striking that many berries remain. I wondered why these particular ones linger. Do they develop later in the year, or are they less palatable than others?

Sloe

Blackthorn flowers are one of the first to open among hedgerows. The resultant sloe berries ripen in late autumn or early winter. Straight from the bush, the berries are bitter and drying. They were traditionally harvested after the first frost, and used to make gin. Waiting for frost meant that in many cases, the skins would be split, meaning juice could flow into the gin without having to prick every berry.

Sloes were first used for gin during the eighteenth century. The history behind the increasing production of sloe gin has its roots in some of the less palatable parts of our history. Firstly, the slave trade was booming, with Britain forcing slaves to work across plantations in the West Indies. The harder they worked, the quicker the price of sugar fell. This in turn led to an increase in sugar availability and consumption within the UK.

Secondly, as the population increased, so the demand for food also rose. Thousands of people were displaced from what was common land, so that the powerful rich could take it over and use it for profit. To mark out boundaries across what had previously been fields, hedgerows were planted. Land owners favoured plants with built in security – thorns – meaning blackthorn and hawthorn bushes were planted.

Blackthorn is still abundant across the countryside, and those around here are covered in sloe. Berries not taken by humans for gin or perhaps jam or chutney will be harvested by birds such as blackbirds, robins, thrushes, and fieldfares. Mammals including hedgehogs, mice, and foxes are also known to consume sloe.

Cherry Laurel

There were several cherry laurel plants along the edge of the brook which runs through a couple of the fields. A beautiful berry, this one is highly toxic to humans and other mammals.

The leaves and pips of the cherry laurel contain cyanide. With a distinct almond flavour, just a small amount of cyanide can be fatal. As an aside, this puts me in mind of one of my favourite short stories by Roald Dahl – ‘The Landlady‘ – which is one of his adult tales. Not for children.

With the correct preparation, laurel cherry berries may be pulped, seeds removed, and the flesh used in recipes for jam, jellies, and dried fruits. The berry is sometimes used in traditional medicine to ease digestive issues. Ironic really as the seeds and leaves can be fatal.

Though mammals should avoid the cherry laurel, birds may consume the berries. As they swallow the fruit whole, the seeds pass straight through without releasing the poison inside.

Hawthorn

Growing up to 15 metres tall, hawthorn trees provide food and shelter for a wide range of wildlife including insects, birds, and mammals. The density of mature hawthorn provides excellent habitat for nesting birds, and its thorns offer a level of protection from intruders.

Also known as the May Tree, Hawthorn blossom used to emerge around the start of May. Warmer spring has brought the appearance of flowers forward though, so the traditional name is less relevant. The saying ‘ne’er cast a clout till May is out’ is considered to be reference to the May blossom, as opposed to the month of May. In other words, don’t discard winter clothes until the Hawthorn tree has blossomed.

Health benefits associated with hawthorn include improved circulation and heart health, antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, and stress reduction. The berries are used as natural remedies both for humans and companion animals. They provide a vital source of food for birds over winter, offering a blend of vitamins, antioxidants and energy. The high levels of starch in Hawthorn berries are particularly useful for migratory birds such as redwing and fieldfare, who need to sustain energy levels.

Folklore says that hawthorn should never be brought inside. This stems from the likeness between the scent of the hawthorn blossom, and the smell of decaying flesh. In practical terms for the flower, the odour attracts pollinators such as carrion flies. Centuries ago, when people were accustomed to leaving corpses to lie for several days, the smell of decay was a common one. Trimethylamine, a chemical produced by hawthorn flowers, is the first chemical released by decaying bodies. During the Great Plague, people carried flowers (posies) to cover the smell of death. Owing to its smell, hawthorn was thought to spread the disease, and consequently considered bad luck.

Dog Rose

Among the hawthorn berries were a few clumps of dog rose fruit – rose hips. Dog rose is a climbing plant, using its hooked prickles to cling to surrounding trees and shrubs as it grows.

Rose hips are a popular fruit for birds such as redwing, fieldfare, and blackbirds; and mammals, including squirrels, deer, and foxes.

The name, dog rose, originated in Ancient Rome, when people thought that the root of the plant could be used to cure a rabid dog bite. Roman scholar, Pliny the Elder, recorded the use of rose hips as a treatment for stomach ailments and colds.

Rose hips have a variety of uses in today’s natural remedies including as vitamin supplements (they have significantly higher vitamin C content than citrus fruits), and easing symptoms of osteoarthritis. They are also used in food and drink recipes such as jams, tea, and syrups.

A dog rose bush in Germany is estimated to be over 1,000 years old. The ‘Thousand-Year Rose’ grows on the walls of Hildesheim Cathedral, in northern Germany. Although the cathedral was bombed during the Second World War, the rose’s roots survived and it regrew. It is believed to be the oldest living rose in the world.

Finally

As always, take great care when investigating nature’s harvest and if in doubt, leave things where they grow. The wildlife will appreciate it, as will your constitution.