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 kansuensis locally. The fruit is eaten by the endangered golden snubnosed monkeys ("Rhinopithecus roxellana"). Prunus kansuensis Prunus kansuensis (), sometimes called the Chinese bush peach, is a putative species of peach native to China. It is found in Gansu, Guizhou, Hubei, Qinghai, Shaanxi and Sichuan provinces. It is a shrub or tree tall, preferring to grow at above sea level. A genetic and morphological study has shown that it is conspecific with "Prunus persica", the cultivated peach. "P.kansuensis" is being investigated as a source for rootstocks and for crop improvement due to its resistance to multiple diseases, to drought, and to