Prunus spinosa the British Army, blackthorn sticks are carried by commissioned officers of the Royal Irish Regiment; this is a tradition also in Irish regiments in some Commonwealth countries. The leaves resemble tea leaves, and were used as an adulterant of tea. Shlomo Yitzhaki, a Talmudist and Tanakh commentator of the High Middle Ages, writes that the sap (or gum) of "P. spinosa" (which he refers to as the ) was used as an ingredient in the making of some inks used for manuscripts. The fruit stones have been found in Swiss lake dwellings. Evidence of the early use of sloes by
Prunus × pugetensis The chief difference from its parents is that its flowers almost always abort, and it rarely bears any fruit. Prunus × pugetensis Prunus × pugetensis is a hybrid species of cherry discovered growing in the Pacific Northwest region of North America. It has been given the nominal common name Puget Sound cherry. It is a cross of introduced sweet cherry, "Prunus avium", and native Oregon cherry, "Prunus emarginata". Individuals have been found growing in British Columbia, Washington state and Oregon, in the natural range of "P. emarginata". It differs from "P. avium" in a number of features, including having narrower