Damsons or sloes?

[BewareOfTheToddler]

At the risk of sounding like an idiot, how do I tell the difference between damsons and sloes?

We've just moved into a new house with a very established garden and at the bottom, there's a tree with purple fruit on it which I'm convinced are either damsons or sloes. Unfortunately, the pictures I found through Google make them both look identical. The fruits feel quite squashy and are easily picked at the moment, if that helps (we're SE England).

Any suggestions? apart from just making gin with them anyway

Damsons are like small plums, sloes are more like blueberries and tend to grow in hedgerows.

Eat one. If it's so sour it turns your face inside out it's a sloe. Also sloes are on blackthorn bushes which have large thorns on so if they are in a tree they are probably damsons.

Sloes are the fruit of the blackthorn which looks like a bush. There will be thorns and the berries are the same size as blueberries but taste nothing like them.

As pp said, sloes are from Blackthorn, so good for sloe gin/vodka.
Damsons make excellent jam, rich and fruity.

Oh, these are definitely damsons then! Thank you so much - I thought looking at the leaves and fruit online would work but got me more confused.

Nigel Slater has a recipe for chocolate brownies with damsons. Just saying.....

Sloes won't be ready until much later in the year. First to flower, last to harvest. I use damsons to make damson gin, then put the damsons into flapjacks, once they are imbibed with the sugary alcohol. Amazing.

Double the use! I like it

yep. if you bite into a sloe if feels like your mouth is going dry.
really weird sensation.

Have sloe envy as Melbourne is too hot to grow them.

Sloes are the blotting paper of fruits, should you eat one. Or try to.

Peerless in gin.