My Bramble Tree
By Kathy Bedenbaugh
Hidden
behind a pecan tree some 50 years ago, a tiny bramble tree burst forth. It was
part of a scene of a wedding shower where family friends and sorority sisters
gathered to wish a “sister” well in her upcoming marriage. Little did that
bride imagine that she would one day be living on that property and seeing that
bramble produce such wondrous fruit.
That bramble, Sloe (Prunus spinosa) or damson, has produced much fruit over the years and the bride’s relative had made many jars of delicious jelly from that very same tree. In fact, that particular bride was given the jelly on numerous occasions. My relative is the one who told me the name of the tree and that it had been used to make Sloe Gin. Some say that there is no better use for sloes than in a Sloe gin recipe. When I first made the jelly and gave it to others, they thought I was joking when I told them the name of the tree that the fruit had come from.
That bramble, Sloe (Prunus spinosa) or damson, has produced much fruit over the years and the bride’s relative had made many jars of delicious jelly from that very same tree. In fact, that particular bride was given the jelly on numerous occasions. My relative is the one who told me the name of the tree and that it had been used to make Sloe Gin. Some say that there is no better use for sloes than in a Sloe gin recipe. When I first made the jelly and gave it to others, they thought I was joking when I told them the name of the tree that the fruit had come from.
The fruit is about the size of a grape and when ripe, it turns a beautiful shade of magenta. The fruit is in the plum family. When you cook the berries, the aroma is really quite nice. The tree itself has bark very similar to a cherry tree and the leaves also resemble a cherry tree. It is a deciduous tree and does better as an understory rather than out on its own. The fruit is usually in clusters like a cherry tree. Harvesting is usually from late August through October depending on where you live.
Many years later, after the bride’s relative passed away, the much older woman and her husband purchased the home and land of her relative. As the years passed, she made many jars of jelly herself and gave it to family and friends, only each year the fruit only yielded enough for several batches of jelly.
Well this year, the bramble produced an unusually large amount of fruit. The girl took pictures of the heavily loaded fruit and contacted Dan Gill, a Louisiana Horticulturist with the LSU Extension Service, and asked him why he thought there was so much fruit on the tree this year. According to Dan Gill, the Sloe tree loves the very cold weather, which we definitely had in the winter last year. The tree is a native of Europe and was used as a fence line to keep live stock corralled as it had many thorns on the branches.
Since that first tree sprang up, several other trees have developed as well. In the spring, the tree is covered with beautiful light pink flowers that have a very strong fragrance. The flowers are very frilly looking but make a wonderful addition to your spring landscape.
This gardener never imagined that she would be picking up the fruit for long over a month this year. And little did she imagine that these very trees would yield so much fruit. It has been a daily task to gather the fruit with her dogs watching every move she made protecting her from the many varmints that inhabit the property.
Many years later, after the bride’s relative passed away, the much older woman and her husband purchased the home and land of her relative. As the years passed, she made many jars of jelly herself and gave it to family and friends, only each year the fruit only yielded enough for several batches of jelly.
Well this year, the bramble produced an unusually large amount of fruit. The girl took pictures of the heavily loaded fruit and contacted Dan Gill, a Louisiana Horticulturist with the LSU Extension Service, and asked him why he thought there was so much fruit on the tree this year. According to Dan Gill, the Sloe tree loves the very cold weather, which we definitely had in the winter last year. The tree is a native of Europe and was used as a fence line to keep live stock corralled as it had many thorns on the branches.
Since that first tree sprang up, several other trees have developed as well. In the spring, the tree is covered with beautiful light pink flowers that have a very strong fragrance. The flowers are very frilly looking but make a wonderful addition to your spring landscape.
This gardener never imagined that she would be picking up the fruit for long over a month this year. And little did she imagine that these very trees would yield so much fruit. It has been a daily task to gather the fruit with her dogs watching every move she made protecting her from the many varmints that inhabit the property.
The very best part of the story is that little did she know how much joy it would bring to four other garden club members with whom she shared the berries. Each made their own jelly for the first time in their lives and continue to tell the gardener how much pleasure they have gotten out of making the jelly. She even shared two pints of jelly and enough berries to make jelly with a community of Spanish nuns in New Orleans who minister to the dying. She also gave them the Sure-Gel and explained what they needed to do to make the jelly. They were very excited to be able to try a new project and they were looking forward to having their own jelly .
Note from the bride: Two of us have attempted to make the Sloe Gin and Vodka from a recipe that we obtained from the Internet. Only time will tell how much pleasure is obtained from that venture!
P.S. The bride from long ago was me!
Pictured above: Sister Miriam holding jelly, author Kathy Bedenbaugh and Mother Elvia holding berries. They belong to the Sister Servants of Mary order.
Note from the bride: Two of us have attempted to make the Sloe Gin and Vodka from a recipe that we obtained from the Internet. Only time will tell how much pleasure is obtained from that venture!
P.S. The bride from long ago was me!
Pictured above: Sister Miriam holding jelly, author Kathy Bedenbaugh and Mother Elvia holding berries. They belong to the Sister Servants of Mary order.