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Frangula alnus Mill.

European buckthorn, alder buckthorn

ParentsUnknownGenus is not in the current taxonomy
GenusFrangulaCRC World Dictionary of Plant Names says: “Perhaps derived from the Latin frangere, ‘to break.’” A personal communication from John Kartesz supplied the information that the name refers to its extremely brittle wood. The species alder-buckthorn, Rhamnus frangula, bears a fairly old name, and the bark of that tree contained a glucoside with purgative or laxative qualities that was named frangulin by a chemist named Casselmann
SpeciesalnusThe classical Latin name for this genus

About plant names...

Alder buckthorn is native to Europe, Africa, and Asia. It was introduced to North America, where it has become naturalized. Frangula means "brittle wood," and alnus means alders, which are often found in the same habitats. Alder buckthorn actually has no thorns, though relatives in the Rhamnus genus often do. In many areas it is considered an invasive.

Identification: This shrub reaches 9½-20′ (3-6 m). It usually has multiple stems, rarely only one, becoming a tree. Dark brown-black bark covers a light yellow interior bark. Leaves are roughly oval, 1-2½″ (3-7 cm) long and ⅞-1½″ (2.5-4 cm) wide. Leaves have prominent veins and stems ¼-½″ (8-15 mm) long. Flowers are 1/16-3/16″ (3-5 mm), 5-petaled, yellowish- or greenish-white, and inconspicuous. Clusters of shiny black berries, reddish or purplish before ripening, are each ⅛-⅜″ (6-10 mm) in diameter.

 

Frangula alnus (European buckthorn, alder buckthorn)

9/7/2013 · Beech Hill, Dublin, New Hamp­shire · ≈ 8 × 5″ (19 × 12 cm)

Frangula alnus (European buckthorn, alder buckthorn)

7/20/2012 · J. Harry Rich Dirt Road, Groton, Mass­a­chu­setts · ≈ 7 × 4½″ (17 × 11 cm)

Here are some similar-looking buckthorns:

 
Rhamnus alnifolia

Rhamnus cathartica
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Frangula alnus
Common Name

alderleaf buckthorn

buckthorn

European buckthorn
Plant This smaller shrub reaches up to 3′ (1 m) in height. Plants are 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. 9½-20′ (3-6 m) tall. It usually has multiple stems, rarely only one, becoming a tree. Dark brown-black bark covers a light yellow interior bark.
Flowers Yellowish-green, 5-petaled, in groups of 1-3, nestled at the base of leaves, from May to July. Male and female flowers are on different plants. Yellowish-green, with four petals, in dense clusters. 1/16-3/16″ (3-5 mm), 5-petaled, yellowish- or greenish-white, and inconspicuous.
Leaves Alternate, elliptical, either rounded or pointed at the tip, smooth-edged, up to 4″ (10 cm) × 2″ (5 cm). Elliptic (roughly oval), with several prominent veins roughly parallel to the leaf edges and fine teeth. They are ⅞-3½″ (2.5-9 cm) × ⅜-1¼″ (1.2-3.5 cm) in size. Leaves are mostly opposite, occasionally alternate, smooth on top and bottom. Roughly oval, 1-2½″ (3-7 cm) long and ⅞-1½″ (2.5-4 cm) wide. Leaves have smooth edges and prominent veins and stems ¼-½″ (8-15 mm) long.
Fruit Round, up to ¼″ (6.3 mm) in diameter, turning to light red and then to deep black. Each fruit contains three seeds. Fruits are dense clusters of black berries ⅛-⅜″ (6-10 mm) in diameter. Each berry contains 3-4 seeds. Clusters of shiny black berries, reddish or purplish before ripening, are each ⅛-⅜″ (6-10 mm) in diameter.
Range/ Zones

Type Wild Wild Wild
Occurrence Uncommon Common Common

 

Online References:

Wikipedia

The USDA Forest Service's Fire Effects Information Database

Invasive.org, Center for Invasive Species and Ecosystem Health

Plants for a Future, a resource and information centre for edible and otherwise useful plants

Harvard Forest

Wikimedia Commons

The Ecology of Commanster

References:

Petrides, George A., Peterson Field Guides: Trees and Shrubs, Houghton Mifflin Co., 1972, p. 267

Frangula alnus (European buckthorn, alder buckthorn)

7/7/2012 · Gibbet Hill, Groton, Mass­a­chu­setts · ≈ 9 × 6″ (22 × 14 cm)

Frangula alnus (European buckthorn, alder buckthorn)

6/23/2012 · Nashua River Rail Trail, East Pepperell, Pepperell, Mass­a­chu­setts · ≈ 4½ × 3″ (11 × 7.9 cm)

Frangula alnus (European buckthorn, alder buckthorn)

9/7/2013 · Beech Hill, Dublin, New Hamp­shire · ≈ 8 × 5″ (19 × 12 cm)

Frangula alnus (European buckthorn, alder buckthorn)

7/20/2012 · J. Harry Rich Dirt Road, Groton, Mass­a­chu­setts · ≈ 8 × 5″ (19 × 13 cm)

Frangula alnus (European buckthorn, alder buckthorn)

7/5/2012 · Groton Place and Sabine Woods, Groton, Mass­a­chu­setts · ≈ 7 × 4½″ (17 × 11 cm)

Frangula alnus (European buckthorn, alder buckthorn)

9/7/2013 · Beech Hill, Dublin, New Hamp­shire · ≈ 8 × 5″ (19 × 12 cm)

Frangula alnus (European buckthorn, alder buckthorn)

6/16/2010 · Nashua River Rail Trail, Groton Center, Groton, Mass­a­chu­setts · ≈ 9 × 6″ (22 × 14 cm)

Frangula alnus (European buckthorn, alder buckthorn)

6/23/2013 · Rocky Ridge Trail, Beaver Brook Conservation Area, Hollis, New Hamp­shire · ≈ 6 × 4″ (16 × 10 cm)

Frangula alnus (European buckthorn, alder buckthorn)

6/23/2012 · Nashua River Rail Trail, East Pepperell, Pepperell, Mass­a­chu­setts · ≈ 17 × 12″ (44 × 29 cm)

Rhamnus frangula L.

Rhamnus frangula L. var. angustifolia Loudon

Rhamnus frangula L. ssp. columnaris hort.

 

Frangula alnus description by Thomas H. Kent, last updated 11 Oct 2021.

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Frangula alnus (European buckthorn, alder buckthorn)

6/23/2012 · Nashua River Rail Trail, East Pepperell, Pepperell, Mass­a­chu­setts · ≈ 7 × 4½″ (17 × 11 cm)

Frangula alnus (European buckthorn, alder buckthorn)

6/20/2012 · Nashua River Rail Trail, Groton Center, Groton, Mass­a­chu­setts · ≈ 9 × 6″ (22 × 14 cm)

Frangula alnus (European buckthorn, alder buckthorn)

7/27/2009 · Nashua River Rail Trail, Groton, Mass­a­chu­setts · ≈ 13 × 9″ (33 × 22 cm)

Frangula alnus (European buckthorn, alder buckthorn)

8/4/2009 · Near Nashoba Hospital, Ayer, Mass­a­chu­setts · ≈ 12 × 8″ (30 × 20 cm)

Frangula alnus (European buckthorn, alder buckthorn)

8/6/2009 · Nashua River Rail Trail, Groton, Mass­a­chu­setts · ≈ 5 × 3½″ (13 × 9.2 cm)

Frangula alnus (European buckthorn, alder buckthorn)

7/7/2012 · Gibbet Hill, Groton, Mass­a­chu­setts · ≈ 6 × 4″ (15 × 10 cm)

Frangula alnus (European buckthorn, alder buckthorn)

7/5/2012 · Groton Place and Sabine Woods, Groton, Mass­a­chu­setts · ≈ 6 × 4″ (15 × 10 cm)

Frangula alnus (European buckthorn, alder buckthorn)

9/7/2013 · Beech Hill, Dublin, New Hamp­shire · ≈ 5 × 8″ (12 × 19 cm)

Frangula alnus (European buckthorn, alder buckthorn)

6/24/2015 · Nashua River Rail Trail, Groton Ctr, Groton, Mass­a­chu­setts · ≈ 8 × 6″ (20 × 14 cm)

Frangula alnus (European buckthorn, alder buckthorn)

6/24/2015 · Nashua River Rail Trail, Groton Ctr, Groton, Mass­a­chu­setts · ≈ 8 × 6″ (20 × 14 cm)

Range:

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