Shillelagh (club) Shillelagh (club) A shillelagh ( or ; , "thonged willow") or blackthorn stick is a wooden walking stick and club or cudgel, typically made from a stout knotty stick with a large knob at the top. It is associated with Ireland and Irish folklore. Shillelaghs are traditionally made from blackthorn (sloe) wood ("Prunus spinosa") or oak. Wood from the root was prized as it was less prone to crack or break during use. The wood would be smeared with butter or lard, and placed up a chimney to cure, giving the shillelagh its typical black shiny appearance. Another method was
Prunus sibirica Prunus sibirica Prunus sibirica, called Siberian apricot (), is a species of shrub or small tree native to eastern China, Japan, Korea, Mongolia, and eastern Siberia. It is in the genus "Prunus" in the rose family, Rosaceae, one of several species whose fruit are called apricot, although this species is rarely cultivated for its fruit. The species was named by Carl Linnaeus in 1753. The species is highly genetically diverse. It grows in the form of a small tree with spreading branches and reaches a height of . It is very frost resistant and can survive temperatures down to .