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Rhamnus cathartica

common buckthorn

Rhamnaceae Europe, western Asia, North Africa

Attracts Pollinators Deer Resistant Drought Tolerant

SunFull Sun – Part Shade – Full Shade

WaterLow · drought-tolerant

HardinessZones 3–7

Overview

Rhamnus cathartica is a deciduous shrub or small tree reaching 18-25 feet (5.5-7.6 m) tall and 10-18 feet (3-5.5 m) wide, with a spreading crown and often several trunks. The bark is gray-brown, and cut stems reveal orange inner bark and yellow sapwood. Twigs frequently end in a short, sharp spine. Leaves are oval, 1-2.5 inches (2.5-6 cm) long, with finely toothed margins and three to five pairs of curved veins; they stay green late into autumn after most native trees have dropped their leaves. Small yellow-green four-petaled flowers cluster in the leaf axils in late spring, with male and female flowers on separate plants. Female plants bear rounded black drupes about 0.25 inch (6 mm) across, each holding three to four seeds. The fruit has a strong laxative effect on birds, which disperse the seeds across long distances. R. cathartica is native to Eurasia and is regulated as a noxious or invasive species in many U.S. states and Canadian provinces, where it forms dense thickets that shade out native understory plants. It tolerates a broad range of soils, shade, and drought.

Native Range

Rhamnus cathartica is native to Europe, western Asia, and northern Africa. It was introduced to North America in the 1800s as a hedge and ornamental shrub and has since naturalized across much of the northeastern and midwestern United States and southern Canada.

Suggested Uses

Rhamnus cathartica was formerly grown as a hedge and windbreak shrub, but that use has ended across its invasive range. It now has no recommended landscape use in North America, where management focuses on removal. Where it persists, the fruit feeds birds that further spread the seed.

How to Identify

Look for oval leaves with finely toothed edges and three to five pairs of strongly curved veins that arc toward the leaf tip. Many twigs end in a short thorn, and the inner bark is orange when scratched. Leaves remain green well into late autumn, making established plants easy to spot among bare native trees.

Appearance

Size & Dimensions

Height18' - 25'

Width/Spread10' - 18'

Colors

Flower Colors

Foliage Colors

Fall Foliage Colors

Bloom Information

Bloom Period

~3 weeks

Spring

Small yellow-green flowers open in late spring, from May into early June, clustered where the leaves meet the stem. Plants are either male or female, so only female specimens set fruit. Black drupes ripen in late summer and may hang on the branches into winter.

Detailed Descriptions

Foliage Description

dark green

Growing Conditions

Sun Requirements

SunFull Sun SunPartial Shade SunFull Shade

Tolerates up to 8 hours of direct sunlight daily

• Full Sun: 6+ hours of direct sunlight

• Partial Shade: 3-6 hours of direct sunlight

• Full Shade: Less than 3 hours of direct sunlight

Soil Requirements

pH Range6.0 - 8.0(Neutral)

357912

Soil Types

clay loam sand chalk

Drainageaverage

Water & Climate

Water Needs

Low

Frost Tolerance

hardy

Time to Maturity

5-10 years

Drought Tolerance

Drought tolerant when established

Care & Maintenance

Care Guide

Rhamnus cathartica grows in full sun to deep shade and tolerates clay, sand, and alkaline soils, as well as drought once established. It needs no supplemental care and spreads readily from bird-sown seed, resprouting vigorously after being cut. Seedlings establish in shaded understories where many other species fail. Because it is regulated as invasive across much of North America, planting it is prohibited in many jurisdictions. Removal typically involves pulling young plants or treating cut stumps, as stems left in place regrow quickly.

Pruning

Cutting the stems without further treatment prompts dense resprouting from the stump and roots. Where control is the goal, young plants are pulled when soil is moist and larger stumps are treated after cutting. No ornamental pruning is practiced, as the species is not grown in managed landscapes.