- Buckthorn trunks resemble those of plum trees.cherry plum image by ril from Fotolia.com
Common buckthorn is a small tree or shrub in the Rhamnaceae family. It can achieve 22 feet in height and 10 inches in trunk width. The bark of the buckthorn is rough and a gray or brown color, rather like that of a plum tree. Thorns tip the new twigs, and the leaves are glossy-green with jagged margins. Pale-yellow flowers emerge in spring, turning into small black fruit in the fall. - Buckthorn was initially brought to the United States from Europe as a hedge plant, but it quickly proved to be an aggressive invader. Nurseries stopped selling it in the 1930s and it has been illegal to sell the tree for decades in many states. Still, buckthorn flourishes in the wild at the expense of native plants.
- New buckthorn trees sprout from seeds contained in buckthorn berries. Each berry-like fruit is about 1/4 inch in diameter and contains three to four seeds. When these seeds fall to the soil, they wait for good growing conditions to sprout. Once the seeds have fallen, they can remain viable for five years. Plant growth is rapid in good conditions.
- One of the reasons buckthorn threatens native plants is that it is not particular about growing conditions. It will grow in many different kinds of soil: sandy or clay, well-drained or poorly drained, alkaline or acid. It prefers shaded growth and, when mature, itself provides thick shade, an impenetrable layer of vegetation that chokes out most other species. It often keeps its leaves until the end of the calendar year.
- Although it is not welcome in most states, buckthorn is a hardy, healthy plant. It has few diseases and almost no insect pests that can control its growth. Some states have started eradication programs and hope to import several insect types from Europe for experimental bio-control.
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