Prunus spinosa insect-pollinated. The fruit, called a "sloe", is a drupe in diameter, black with a purple-blue waxy bloom, ripening in autumn and harvested – traditionally, at least in the UK – in October or November after the first frosts. Sloes are thin-fleshed, with a very strongly astringent flavour when fresh. "Prunus spinosa" is frequently confused with the related "P. cerasifera" (cherry plum), particularly in early spring when the latter starts flowering somewhat earlier than "P. spinosa". They can be distinguished by flower colour, creamy white in "P. spinosa", pure white in "P. cerasifera". They can also be distinguished in winter by
Prunus sibirica seeds is significantly higher and also has potential as a source of biodiesel. Four varieties have been recognized (under the species name "Armeniaca 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