Leaf
Hervé GoËau, Tela Botanica · CC BY-SA 2.0
Common buckthorn
Rhamnus cathartica L.
Also known as: Purging buckthorn, European buckthorn
Family: Rhamnaceae
2 to 5 m tall
Hedges and woodland edges on chalky soil
Flowering: May
Full sun
Part shade
Very hardy, to -35°C
❓ How do you recognise this plant?
Twigs often ending in a thorn — a useful clue when there are no fruits. Purging buckthorn has twigs ending in a thorn and very laxative black fruits, whereas Mediterranean buckthorn is a thornless Mediterranean evergreen shrub with leathery, glossy foliage all year round.
🍃 Leaves
Opposite, ovate, finely toothed, 3 to 4 pairs of arching veins
🌸 Flowers
Small, greenish, inconspicuous
🍎 Fruits
Small black berries, very laxative, hence its name
🪵 Bark
Grey to blackish, twigs often ending in a thorn
🗺️ Distribution
Europe, western Asia; found in hedges and chalky woodland edges throughout France.
🐝 Value for pollinators
Inconspicuous but nectar-bearing spring flowering, visited by bees and various insects.
✂️ Horticultural uses
Planted in country hedges, natural host of the brimstone butterfly along with alder buckthorn.
⚠️ Possible toxicity
Fruits strongly purgative and toxic in large quantity, causing severe digestive upset, as its name indicates.
⚠️ Look-alike species
Common buckthorn
Rhamnus cathartica
Mediterranean buckthorn
Rhamnus alaternus
Purging buckthorn has twigs ending in a thorn and very laxative black fruits, whereas Mediterranean buckthorn is a thornless Mediterranean evergreen shrub with leathery, glossy foliage all year round.
🌿 Other Rhamnaceae to discover
ℹ️ Educational profile — do not use it to judge whether a plant is edible or safe.
🌱 This database is constantly evolving — species and information are added and corrected regularly. Spotted a mistake? Report it below.
© Floraneo — profile content is protected; reproduction without permission is prohibited. Photos remain under their own licence (see the credit shown on each photo).