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 serrulata of the world. Numerous cultivars have been selected, many of them with double flowers with the stamens replaced by additional petals. In cultivation in Europe and North America, it is usually grafted on to "Prunus avium" roots; the cultivated forms rarely bear fruit. It is viewed as part of the Japanese custom of Hanami. There are several varieties: Some important cultivars include: Prunus serrulata Prunus serrulata or Japanese cherry, also called hill cherry, oriental cherry or East Asian cherry, is a species of cherry native to China, Japan, Korea and India, and is used for its spring cherry blossom displays