Glossy Buckthorn
Frangula alnus
A large deciduous shrub or small tree characterized by smooth, glossy, dark green leaves with prominent parallel veins and clusters of small, dark purple to black spherical fruit.
- Light
- Full sun to partial shade, requiring at least 4 to 6 hours of direct sunlight daily.
- Water
- Moderate water needs. Allow the top few inches of soil to dry out between waterings. Mature plants tolerate occasional dry periods.
- Growth
- Perennial deciduous shrub or small tree growing in an upright, multi-stemmed form with a height of 10 to 20 feet and a comparable spread, featuring a moderate to fast growth rate.
Care instructions
Grow in full sun to partial shade in well-draining soil. Water regularly during the first growing season to establish a deep root system, after which it exhibits good drought tolerance. Fertilization is generally unnecessary unless grown in very poor soils.
Growing details
Sunlight
Full sun to partial shade, requiring at least 4 to 6 hours of direct sunlight daily.
Watering
Moderate water needs. Allow the top few inches of soil to dry out between waterings. Mature plants tolerate occasional dry periods.
Soil
Adaptable to a wide range of soil types including clay, loam, and sand, provided they have adequate drainage. Prefers neutral to slightly acidic pH levels.
Hardiness zone
USDA Zones 2 through 8
Growth habit
Perennial deciduous shrub or small tree growing in an upright, multi-stemmed form with a height of 10 to 20 feet and a comparable spread, featuring a moderate to fast growth rate.
Bloom season
Flowers from late spring to mid-summer, producing small, inconspicuous, greenish-white flowers that are radially symmetrical.
Propagation
Propagated primarily through seed dispersal, or artificially via softwood cuttings taken in late spring or hardwood cuttings taken during the dormant winter season.
Common pests & issues
Generally resilient against major pests and diseases, though occasional infestations of leaf spot or aphids can occur in crowded or humid conditions.
Similar species
Common Buckthorn (Rhamnus cathartica), which can be distinguished by its opposite to sub-opposite leaves and small thorns at the twig tips, whereas Glossy Buckthorn has alternate leaves and lacks thorns.