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FACT SHEET #1 <br />European (Common) Buckthorn Rhamnus cathartica <br />Description: <br />Shrub or small �ree reaching height of 25' (7.6m); <br />trunk diameter up to 10" (25cm); crown sprcadi��g <br />and irregular; bark gray �o brown, rough tc�turcd <br />when mature and often conCuscd with Prunus sp. <br />Inner bark yellow. Twi�;s oficn tippcd wiEh a <br />s�ine. Small black fruits up to I/4" (O.6cm) <br />diameler co��tainii3g 3-4 sccds typ�cal. Lcaves <br />broadly elliplic, roundcd to poir�lcd �tt thc lip, and <br />toothed. Upper and (owcr IcaF surCaces smooth. <br />Upper leaf surface dark glossy grccn. Leaves stav <br />�reen late into fall, after all other Ica�es have <br />f Ilen. <br />Concern: <br />Endemic to Eurasia, R. carhariica was inlroduccd <br />io North Amcrica as an ornamcnlal shrub. lt is <br />native to Eurasia. Thc fr�iit c��uscs �Z scvcrc <br />laxativc cCEect, rc��dily dislributing its sccds �vhen <br />eatcn by birds. Common bucktl�orn invadcs <br />maii�ly woodlands and savai�n�l�s, �Ithough i� ro�y <br />also be found in pr�iirics and opcn (iclds. O�icc <br />estabiished, ti cro�vds or shadcs oul nali��e slirubs <br />and herbs, oficn complcicly ablitcrating thcro. <br />MN [nleragcncy Eaotic Species Task Force 1991 <br />future lhrcat rankin� of SEVERE, currenl tltreat <br />SEVERE. <br />Controls: <br />Europznn Buckthum, Rhamnris catharlica leaves nnd mature Ircrries <br />Late March to Early Msy: Prescribcd �rc is onc mcthod proposcd for controlling backthorn in na�ural areas. <br />In lhe upper Mid�scst. burns conducled as soon as le��f iitter is dry should lower resprouting vigor, due to Iow <br />carboh}•drite lcvcls. 8urni�ig every ycar or cvcry alhcr year in cstablished sxands may be required for 5-G years or <br />mare. UnfortunaECly buckthori� seedings oflen dccur in areas ►vith IilUe litter to carry a�ire more often than once <br />every 3-�1 years. Firc t�•ill top kill a mature pl��nt, but resprouting docs occur. Buckthorn seedlings appear to be <br />very vulnertiblc �o Circ, perliaps duc to tl�eir poariy establislied Foot slructurc. Uprooting of smaller seedlings with a <br />weed rvrencli is another non-chen�ical conlrol. <br />May fo October: McHenry County, li. Conscrvation Dislrict (MCICD) reports cxcellen� results using 20% <br />Garlon 3A (Trichlopyr) in water with cfye on cut stumps during thc growing season. Product label suggcsts <br />avoiding lhe spring sap llo�v. Garlon 3A undiluted appbied lo cut slumps benveen first budding in May, through <br />summer, �o liard Freczc in fall was �)�`% effectivc in prevcnlin�; resprouting (Boudreau �tind Willso��). <br />Mid-August to October: MN DNR Region V Sl�ne Par[:s Resource Managen�ent l�as been using a Fall cut n�ith <br />immediate s�ump ap�lica�ion oCa �: I����iter:Roundup (GIJ��yhos:ite) sol��tion using a l�and sprayer. Initial checks <br />indicate a>85% conlrol overall. Kline, 1�)8 � in Wisconsin. used a�: l�vater:Roundup solution on ca�t s�umps in <br />AugijsUSeple�nber witEi 100'% control. <br />Winter: 2U% Garion �l wilh an oil, such as Pene��alor, and dre on cut stumps �vas reported as effeclir,•e by <br />MCIC�. Fril! appEication is also effcctivc. Esperimcn�s al thc U�iivcrsity of Wisconsin Arboretu�zi report good <br />results usfng a 12.5% sola�tion on cut st��nips. or a 5°/„ sofutio�i brual bark trealment to stcros < 3 incl�cs dUh_ <br />'I�his infomi�lion is not no endorsement of pariinilar producls or prac[icu. P�slicidc usc must fnlluw la6ek dirtctiuns nnd npplicaUla slata and fcderal laws_ <br />c <br />0 <br />m <br />� <br />Y <br />Sources on filc wi[h MiV DNR ltagion V Stale Narks Resourct Managzr- <br />Minnesote Depurtment TNC Elemcnt Stewar�chip AbstruM for R. cathartica and R. frnn�uln � 5l95 <br />ofNatural Resources Illinois Naluro Proserves Commission Vtgttation h4anagcn��nt Guideline oa Erotic Liuckthoms rbfuc�s]_doc <br />Region V(507}285-7432 Buckihom Rcasearch and ContraE at Pipestone Nationa! Monument, D. [3oudraau & G. Willson, mithors SFWl�i6B <br />