There are both acclimatized European blackthorns in the Pacific Northwest (which the original immigrant farmers brought over for their hedges between fields) as well as a native relative of blackthorn commonly called “snowbush”. Here is a USDA map of the distribution of European Blackthorn in North America:

http://plants.usda.gov/java/profile?symbol=PRSP&mapType=large&photoID=prsp_001_ahp.tif

If you have no luck finding wild bushes, your family member can always buy the seeds and grow her own. The seeds usually germinate the first year planted. Just remove the flesh from the seed and stratify. You can find some seeds here:

http://www.etsy.com/listing/46059601/blackthorn-berries

I hope that answers your questions. Blessings!
Sarah

Once again I am visiting your blog at the end of my day, where I am waiting for something to ‘finish cooking’. I wish to take the opportunity to thank you from the bottom of my heart for your presentations, which always brighten my day and leave me feeling I learned something truly worthwhile. You are a good human being, to put in so much work and share it so generously with others, and I admire your level of quality, too!
I am a follower the Norse tradition and I am impressed with your perception of the relationships between traditions, what is there and what is not so much there.

I have a question. Realizing that this is not ‘my’ Forest Grove, but another one I never knew of , and which is much closer to what is my home most of the year, I wonder if you will share information on the presence of sloe bushes, or blackthorn, which you once mentioned were growing wild in your environment. A family member of mine wishes to raise one or more bushes for the purpose of using the berries for dye for her yarns, and so far, you are the only one who has ever in my experience mentioned knowing where some grew in BC. I realize you may not wish to make this very public, but if you contact me through my e-mail, maybe we can work an exchange. I have stewardship of a patch of land near the other Forest Grove and could bring you back something from there, which you might wish to acquire.

Looking into ‘deep origin,’ bioregionality and the ecological unconscious, specifically on South Island New Zealand.

Many thanks for your ideas. In need of more, at :

http://inspiratorium.ning.com/

Stay well,

Eliot