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Common Buckthorn

Rhamnus cathartica

A cutting board made from common buckthorn and Norway maple.

Illustration of RHAMNUS cathartica L. 63 (Rhamnus cathartica L., common buckthorn)

Rhamnus cathartica, the European buckthorn, common buckthorn, purging buckthorn, or just buckthorn, is a species of small tree in the flowering plant family Rhamnaceae. It is native to Europe, northwest Africa and western Asia, from the central British Isles south to Morocco, and east to Kyrgyzstan. It was introduced to North America as an ornamental shrub in the early 19th century or perhaps before, and is now naturalized in the northern half of the continent, and is classified as an invasive plant in several US states and in Ontario and Québec, Canada.

Quick Facts
Scientific name Rhamnus cathartica
Family Rhamnaceae
Height 15-25 ft
Bloom time May-Jun
Sun Full sun to shade
Moisture Dry to wet
Soil Any
Wildlife value INVASIVE. Leafs out early and holds late, shading out natives; berries cause bird diarrhea, spreading seed

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Image Credits

  • MartinFields (CC BY-SA 3.0)
  • Köhler, F. E. (Franz Eugen) (Public domain)

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