Glossy Buckthorn
Frangula alnus
Frangula alnus, commonly known as alder buckthorn, glossy buckthorn, or breaking buckthorn, is a tall deciduous shrub in the family Rhamnaceae. Unlike other "buckthorns", alder buckthorn does not have thorns. It is native to Europe, northernmost Africa, and western Asia, from Ireland and Great Britain north to the 68th parallel in Scandinavia, east to central Siberia and Xinjiang in western China, and south to northern Morocco, Turkey, and the Alborz in Iran and the Caucasus Mountains; in the northwest of its range (Ireland, Scotland), it is rare and scattered.
Quick Facts
| Scientific name | Frangula alnus |
| Family | Rhamnaceae |
| Height | 10-20 ft |
| Bloom time | May-Jul |
| Sun | Full sun to part shade |
| Moisture | Mesic to wet |
| Soil | Any |
| Wildlife value | INVASIVE. Wetland counterpart to common buckthorn; overruns fens and bogs |
Mentioned In
Image Credits
- Patrick Roper (CC BY-SA 2.0)
- Sten Porse (CC BY-SA 3.0)