Rhamnus cathartica L.
Buckthorn, common buckthorn, purging buckthorn
Common buckthorn is native to Europe, northwest Africa, and western Asia. It was introduced to North America as an ornamental plant, where it escaped and has become an invasive species in many areas. It sprouts early, regrows quickly if cut down, and persists late in the season, outcompeting other plants.
Plants: Rounded shrubs or small trees up to 33′ (10 m) in height, with trunks that sometimes reach 10″ (25 cm) in width. Outer bark is dark gray, while the inner bark is yellow and the heartwood is pink to orange in color. Stem tips are often tipped with a spine.
Leaves: Elliptic (roughly oval), with several prominent veins roughly parallel to the leaf edges and fine teeth. They are ⅞–3½ ⨉ ⅜–1¼″ (2.5–9 ⨉ 1.2–3.5 cm) in size. Leaves are mostly opposite, occasionally alternate, smooth on top and bottom.
Flowers: Yellowish-green, with four petals, in dense clusters.
Fruits: Dense clusters of black berries ⅛–⅜″ (6–10 mm) in diameter. Each berry contains 3-4 seeds.
Habitats: Open woods, wood margins, prairies, fields, pastures and roadsides.
Edibility: Not edible; mildly poisonous. Many birds like them though.
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Similar buckthorns. |
Online References:
References:
8/20/2024 
9/14/2009 · Near Nashoba Hospital, Ayer, Massachusetts 
10/11/2016 · Nashua River Rail Trail, Groton, Massachusetts · ≈ 10 × 6″ (24 × 16 cm) 
10/11/2016 · Nashua River Rail Trail, Groton, Massachusetts · ≈ 6 × 4″ (16 × 11 cm) 
8/20/2024 
9/14/2009 · Near Nashoba Hospital, Ayer, Massachusetts · ≈ 14 × 9″ (35 × 23 cm) 
10/11/2016 · Nashua River Rail Trail, Groton, Massachusetts · ≈ 8 × 5″ (20 × 13 cm) 
| Kingdom | Plantae | Plants, but not fungi, lichens, or algae (from Stearn's Botanical Latin) |
| Subkingdom | Tracheobionta | Vascular plants—plants with a “circulatory system” for delivering water and nutrients |
| Division | Magnoliophyta | Flowering plants, also known as angiosperms |
| Class | Magnoliopsida | Dicotyledons—plants with two initial seed leaves |
| Subclass | Rosidae | Roses, legumes, proteas, dogwoods, hydrangeas, mistletoes, euphorbias, grapes, many more |
| Order | Rhamnales | Buckthorns, oleasters, grapes, others |
| Family | Rhamnaceae | Buckthorn family |
| Genus | Rhamnus | From Greek for “buckthorn” |
| Species | cathartica | From Greek katharos, “pure,” or kathartes, “a purifier, a cleanser,” for its cathartic properties |
Rhamnus cathartica description by Thomas H. Kent, not updated.
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