How to identify common buckthorn (Rhamnus cathartica)

Learn how to identify the invasive plant, common buckthorn (Rhamnus cathartic). How do you manage this species at your site? Please post your response in the "comments" section!

[@GH-og3gc]

Went to MN (zoo) School of Environmental Studies. That’s the biggest Buckthorn I’ve ever seen! Great video - thank you! We’re removing Buckthorn in our local MN community this week. Trees have all produced flower pods already, which we don’t want them to produce fruit berries.

[@treelearning]

Thanks, Gabe! Glad you found the video to be useful and thank you for your work restoring natural areas in MN and helping remove buckthorn before it can produce berries! Out here in the Chicago region, buckthorn is actually our most prevalent tree and accounts for over 28% of the urban forest, so removing it is definitely a challenge!

[@frez777]

@@treelearning hmmm

[@treelearning]

@Düsh Kabulb is buckthorn a problem in your area, too?

[@JNZ.m]

interesting

[@mbh3004]

How can young common buckthorns be removed when it grows within the roots of desired shrubs?

[@treelearning]

One common treatment method is to use a foliar spray to target young buckthorn with 4-5% Garlon 3A, 4-5% Garlon 4, or 5-10% Roundup. For more details, see woodyinvasives.org/management/foliar-herbicide/

[@rtcoleman3626]

Makes really good black powder

[@philipbyerleyjohnson5106]

Thank you for the identification video. Rhamnus cathartica was clearly not wanted in Nature Reserves in the USA, as it was considered by some, to be a non native, invasive (or "alien") species, because of that, did not have, slowly evolved dependant relationships with native wildlife, or part of a food chain.
Here in the United Kingdom, our native Brimstone butterfly, apparently, will only life cycle using it and one other species, so was pretty much dependant on it on chalk and limestone geology (calcarious soil types).
My only critique, was to make very clear in a video like this, which part of the world you are from,
Kind regards

[@treelearning]

You raise a great point, Philip! Going forward, we'll be sure to identify relevant video locations as what is considered an "invasive" in one location is a "native" somewhere else in the world.

[@MyerShift7]

You have a very wrong. It's not that "some people think", it's they it is NOT native here, and it's IS invasive and chokes out our natives. You can't use this as a point of clarification in an attempt to discredit the presenters because NA is a different continent that the plant does not belong in.