[Debido]

Hi everyone
I normally pick sloes every year, after the first frost and these are small. I've noticed some fruit growing which looks like it's almost finished, the fruit is the colour of sloes yet bigger and I thought they were bullace.
Damsons are bigger yet this tree was very spiky. And I've read only sloes are from spiky trees ?
I'm confused, help anyone ?

[mumofstig]

It has been a good year for sloes. Here, the ones I picked, a couple of weeks ago, were a little bigger than normal and yes, the spikes are lethal  Dismal weather seems to make them fruit early, I've read somewhere.

Sloe fruits

are much closer to the branch than damson/bullace which hang away from the branch a bit.

It's very hard sometimes to tell the difference, but if it is spikey - I reckon it a sloe.

[Debido]

Thank you
I've picked them and bottled up in gin, hope they'll be fine 😁