Which plant yields the small, plum-like fruit known as the sloe?
Answer
The blackthorn shrub (*Prunus spinosa*)
The sloe is identified specifically as the small, plum-like fruit originating from the blackthorn shrub, which is botanically known as *Prunus spinosa*. The blackthorn plant is distinctive for its dense, thorny branches, and it characteristically produces flowers very early in the spring, preceding the emergence of its leaves. Although the fruit is now widely recognized in infusions like sloe gin, its botanical origin is firmly rooted in this thorny shrub.
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