Buckthorn

Profile

Family

Rhamnaceae

Habit

Shrub

Height

5 m

Spread

4 m

Growth

fast

Lifespan

70 years

First yield

after 5 years

Hardiness

zone 3–8

Shade tolerance

partial shade

Soil

Sand, Silt, Loam, Clay

Soil moisture

dry – very wet

pH

5 – 7.5

Synonyms

Frangula alnus

Flowering & harvest

Times apply to the northern hemisphere in a temperate climate and shift with altitude and cultivar.

Uses

Edible: The bark, leaves, and fruit of this plant are toxic, leading to severe vomiting and diarrhea. Consuming 15-20 berries on an empty stomach in the morning results in a milder laxative effect compared to the bark. Caution is advised to prevent ingestion of this plant.

Medicinal: Dried inner bark aged for more than a year can produce a strong smell and result in multiple health issues, including chronic constipation, abdominal swelling, liver-related conditions, and parasitic infections. Additionally, it may contribute to gum problems, scalp issues, and skin reactions. To prevent severe vomiting, it is advised to opt for fresh or premium items.

Other uses: The leaves and bark change color when combined with iron salts. The fruit is green when immature and blue/gray when mature. The wood is utilized for a variety of items like veneer, wooden nails, shoehorns, and talismans. It can also be turned into charcoal or gunpowder. Wood serves numerous purposes.

Growing

An easily cultivated plant that thrives in various soil types, particularly in neutral to acidic conditions, and prefers moist or peaty soils. It grows best in moist, moderately fertile soil under sun or partial shade, avoiding flooded conditions. It is not tolerant of drought or strong winds. The plant can withstand temperatures as low as -15°C. Alder buckthorn, a slow-growing plant, was historically grown for its wood, commonly used for charcoal production. It shows resilience in recovering from forest fires or grazing. Flowering occurs on both one-year-old wood and the current year's growth. Cultivated in southern Europe for its medicinal properties. It often hosts the aecidospore stage of oat crown rust. Species within this genus exhibit notable resistance to honey fungus. A valuable plant for bees and a primary food source for brimstone butterfly larvae.

Propagation

Seeds should be planted in autumn in a cool environment. Seeds that have been stored need 1-2 months of cold treatment at approximately 5°C and should be planted as soon as possible either indoors or outdoors. Germination rates are typically high, reaching at least 80% by the end of spring. Once seedlings are large enough, transfer them to individual pots and cultivate them in a greenhouse or cool setting during the initial winter. By late spring or early summer of the next year, they can be planted outdoors. Take cuttings from semi-mature shoots in July or August and place them in a frame. Take cuttings from mature wood of the current year in autumn and place them in a frame. Perform stratification in early spring.

Notable

Special features: Often grows in wet locations as an irregularly branched, shallow-rooted shrub (2-4m), otherwise a small, deep-rooted tree; valuable for many insects and bird species; long flowering period with ~300 insect visits per flower in 2 weeks; formerly cultivated for gunpowder production, as the coal hardly decomposes to ash.

Origin & habitat

Europe spans from Scandinavia in the north to North Africa in the south and from the Urals to Siberia in the east.

Hedges, scrub, woodlands, roadsides, wastelands, etc., particularly on disrupted alkaline and nitrogen-rich soils.

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