Botanical Prints
Botanical prints from the 1800s are instant wall candy. They are simple, understated and elegant. Find them in antique bookstores, frame them, and hang them up. Botanical prints are classic and timeless. They have great detail, and the colors are enhanced with the aged backgrounds of soft tans and yellowed paper..
The classic botanical prints were originally drawn and painted in pen and ink and watercolor. These prints have made quite a resurgance in home decorating, not only as wall art, but also for pillows, gift boxes, and other vintage print decor.
The vintage blackthorn botanical drawing we're focusing on today was created in the mid-1800s. The art is exquisite -- it details the blackthorn shrub's dangerous long thorns, the leaves, flowers, and fruit. The blackthorn, also known as the prunus spinosa, has small, delicate white flowers. The small fruit of the blackthorn look like small plums or large berries. The drawing is fabulous, and the vintage botanical print radiates warmth, age, and class.
What is Blackthorn, and Why You Shouldn't Eat it:
The heavy-duty thorns make Blackthorn quite an unusual botanical specimen. What's it used for?- The blackthorn shrub is used in Northern Europe and Britain as hedges to pen in the cattle.
- The blackthorn fruit, similar to berries, has been used medicinally to reduce inflammation.
- Blackthorn makes great firewood.
- Blackthorn wood is used in making canes.
- Blackthorn berries are used for preserves, although there are two small problems:
- It's bitter. Preserves must use liberal amounts of honey or sugar to make it palatable.
- It's a bit poisonous. Thus, we'd recommend actually NOT consuming it, even if it's sweetened with jelly.
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