Common Buckthorn

Found in:

• Old landscapes, upland woods and many other habits

Characteristics:

• Multi-stemmed shrub to small tree, growing 10-20’ tall with an upright oval form
• Leaves are egg-shaped with finely toothed edges, very dark, and dull green
• Plants leaf out in early spring and retain their leaves well into winter; leaves do not change color before being shed
• Twigs have a sharp thorn at each tip
• Bark is rough, grey-brown in color
• Small glossy black, berry-like fruits borne in clusters; fruits remain on plant well into winter; each fruit has 3-4 seeds

Significance

• Minnesota Restricted Noxious Weed that is extremely aggressive on lowland and upland sites; crowds or shades out native shrubs and wildflowers
• Illegal to import, sell, or transport in Minnesota

Plants that look similar:

• Glossy Buckthorn
• Common Chokecherry
• Glossy Black Chokeberry
• Hedge Cotoneaster

More information and control options for Common Buckthorn