Rhamnus cathartica
Common Buckthorn
Rhamnaceae

Located near front entrance of Personnel/ROTC building.

  • leaves opposite to subopposite, elliptic ovate, simple
  • leaves dark green, glossy, slightly serrated, holding late
  • buds imbricate, appressed to stem, black
  • bud on tip of branches (terminal bud) is often modified into a sharp spine slightly longer than buds (good ID feature)
  • stems thin, gray-green, smooth
  • flowers often dioecious, small, yellow-green, in umbels, in spring
  • fruit is a drupe, round, glossy black, distinctive
  • habit is a large multi-stemmed shrub or small tree
  • plant is weedy and often appears in waste places and unmanaged areas of the landscape


View Rhamnus cathartica page in the UConn Plant Database


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