[Closed] What species is the early roadside white blossom?

blackthorn.... vicious thorns too.

could be but more likely to be hawthorn, its the staple scrub species for road schemes and hedges.

could be but more likely to be hawthorn

Probably blackthorn as stated. I've noticed a lot out in the last week. I think the general lore is that blackthorn has flowers before leaves, while the converse for hawthorn. Hawthorn ('Queen of the May') puts me in a right summery mood, it's also my favourite flower/scent. Not sure if 'ne'er cast a clout 'til May is out' refers to the bloom or the month, but I always took it to be the bloom.

Yup, most probably Blackthorn. Signals potential sloe picking locations come the Autumn 🙂

My first thought was hawthorn.

It's probably Blackthorn. It usually blossoms before it buds and this is in the last weeks of March/Early April, known as the 'blackthorn winter'. There's often a cold snap at this time of year, and the blossom looks a bit like frost/snow.

Too early for hawthorn surely? Sloe I reckon.

Blackthorn - small white flowers along the smaller branches and twigs before the leaves.

Hawthorn - larger white flowers (clusters) mostly towards the ends of twigs after the leaves have grown. Some varieties have deep pink flowers. And they have an amazing scent on the right day.

Definitely a month too early for hawthorn up here in sunny Yorkshire. Remember the old country saying; "ne'er cast a clout 'til May be out" - May being the hawthorn or mayflower, not the month.

Blackthorn first. It is always so.

There are both along a path that takes me into the industrial estate where I work, and the flowering bushes are Blackthorn, the leaves are only just starting to show a tiny bit, Hawthorn leaves are already coming out, but there's no flowers yet.
The new leaves on Hawthorn are edible, and are called 'bread and cheese' by older country people.
They don't actually taste of anything very much... 😀