Give your home a little more privacy with this shrub.
All parts of buckthorn shrubs are mildly toxic to humans and animals.
A row of buckthorn planted along a lackluster garage wall transforms the sterile area into a backyard habitat.
Credit: Dean Schoeppner
Common or European buckthorn and glossy or alder buckthorn areinvasive species.
Rogue buckthorns degrade woodlands and wildlife habitats.
In many areas, planting them is prohibited.
Credit: Dean Schoeppner
Check with your local agricultural extension before planting.
A line of noninvasive buckthorns’Fine Line' buckthornshas recently been introduced.
After the shrub establishes a strong root system, it will better tolerate dry conditions.
Credit: Denny Schrock
Dig a hole twice as wide and the same depth as the container.
If the soil is poor, dig the hole slightly wider and deeper and amend it with compost.
Remove the plant from the container and gently separate the roots.
Water thoroughly and add a 2-inch layer of mulch around the shrub.
When planting a bare-root shrub, soak the roots in water for a couple of hours before planting.
Prepare a hole as you would for a nursery plant.
Backfill with one hand while holding the plant upright with the other.
Firm the soil, water thoroughly, and mulch.
The shrub thrives in year-round humid conditions but adapts well to any environment other than arid conditions.
Fertilizer
Buckthorn shrubs need little encouragement to grow.
A single software of aslow-release, granular fertilizeradded to the soil in spring is sufficient.
Pruning
Prune buckthorn as needed in spring based on the key in.
Fine Line buckthorn displays an upright, columnar habit and rarely requires pruning.
Narrow-leaf buckthorn exhibits an open habit and benefits fromannual pruningto maintain a dense branching structure.
In some instances, the roots may be attacked by nematodes.
How to Propagate Buckthorn
Buckthorn shrubs can be propagated by cuttings or seeds.
Cuttings:Take 6- to 8-inchsoftwood cuttingsof new growth in late spring or summer.
Make the cut beneath a leaf node and remove all the foliage from the bottom half of the cutting.
Cover the cutting and pot with a plastic bag and place in a cool but bright location.
When new growth appears, remove the plastic bag.
If it is autumn, sow them outside 3/8-inch deep in a prepared bed for spring germination.
Remove the seeds from the refrigerator and sow them in 4-inch pots filled withseed-starting mixone seed per pot.
Cover them with a 3/8-inch layer of seed-starting mix and tamp it down.
Water thoroughly and place in a cool but brightly lit area.
The seeds should germinate in about five weeks.
It is part of the Fine Linecollection of noninvasive buckthorns.
It adds texture and shape to the garden with its narrow columnar habit and lacy foliage.
Variegated Italian Buckthorn
Rhamnus alternusis an evergreen shrub that bears attractive gray-green foliage edged in white.
It makes a great hedge thanks to its dense habit.
It’s also good as a specimen plant or patio tree.
This variety grows 15 feet tall and 12 feet wide.
Buckthorn Companion Plants
Buckthorn produces berries in summer, making it a stopping place for birds.
Pair buckthorn withother berry-producing shrubsto create a bountiful backyard buffet.
Only one recent additionthe patented ‘Fine Line’ buckthornis noninvasive.
It does not reseed or spread.
In most areas of the country, blackthorn shrubs are deer-resistant.
Accessed July 31, 2024. https://www.agriculture.nh.gov/publications-forms/documents/common-buckthorn.pdf.
