Glossy Buckthorn

Rhamnaceae

LIFE FORM: Shrub

NATIVITY: Europe

VEGETATIVE CHARACTERISTICS:

6 to 12 feet tall; alternate, roundish to oval dark green leaves; stems covered with prominent light lenticels.

FLOWERS:

Inconspicuous solitary flowers produced throughout the summer.

FRUIT/DISPERSAL AGENTS:

Black, 1/4 inch fruits ripen at various times throughout the summer and fall such that green, red, and black berries are present simultaneously; dispersed by birds; sprouts readily from the base.

ECOLOGICAL PREFERENCE:

Minimally maintained public parks and open space; vacant lots and rubble dump sites; woodlands that develop on abandoned open space; freshwater wetlands, ponds and streams; riverbanks; chain-link fence lines; railroad tracks with ballast substrate.

ENVIRONMENTAL FUNCTION:

Nutrient absorption in wetlands; salt tolerance along roadways; air pollution tolerance; food and/or habitat for wildlife; erosion control on slopes.

CULTURAL SIGNIFICANCE:

A very adaptable species that flourishes on disturbed ground and forest edges; bark used in traditional medicine as a laxative and to induce vomiting. Invasive species in minimally managed habitats.