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 murrayana rare that no one has seen its fruit since first being scientifically described. Prunus murrayana Prunus murrayana, called the Murray’s plum, is a critically endangered shrub native to Texas. It is found in the Edwards Plateau and the trans-Pecos regions of the state. "Prunus murrayana" is a thorny, deciduous shrub up to 5 meters (almost 17 feet) tall, forming clumps by means of sprouts formed at the base of the plant. Leaves are hairy on both surfaces, usually folding along the midrib. Flowers are white, usually appearing about the same time as the leaves. Fruits are red with white dots,