Common buckthorn trees and shrubs are difficult to control once they get a foothold. Here's how to manage these landscape invaders.
Invasive Common Buckthorn: A Threat to Our Forests
Published on Jul. 03, 2025
Because of its dense thickets and long growing season, ornamental common buckthorn was once seen as a prime choice for windbreaks, hedgerows and wildlife habitats.
“Unfortunately, it was overly successful,” says Sharon Yiesla of The Morton Arboretum. “These characteristics allow it to spread easily and suppress native vegetation.”
More than a century later, the trees continue to expand aggressively across much of the country, where they take over habitat, harming biodiversity in natural areas and backyards alike. Here’s what to know about common buckthorn, how to identify it, plus how to get rid of it if it has descended upon your landscape.
On This Page
Why Common Buckthorn Trees Are Problematic
Common buckthorn trees are native to Eurasia, but invasive in North America, where they harm ecosystems by crowding out native plant species and creating a monoculture.
“That negatively impacts pollinators, birds and other wildlife, plus its berries offer no nutritional value to birds and can lead to fatal digestive issues,” says Byron Hays of Kansas City Davey Tree.
Psst—grow these trees and shrubs with berries for birds instead.
How to ID Common Buckthorn
Common buckthorn can grow as a woody shrub or small tree, reaching 10 to 25 feet tall.
“The veins follow the shape of the leaf edges, similar to the leaves of dogwoods, but dogwood leaves have smooth edges and buckthorns have small teeth,” says Sharon. “It is also easy to spot buckthorn in autumn, as they will hang on to their green leaves very late into the season.”
Other hallmarks include:
- Dark green, oval leaves
- Small, pea-sized berries, which ripen from green to purplish-black
- Brown to gray bark, with a peeling or rough-texture
- Orange inner bark
- Twigs with scattered thorns or thorns at their tips.
Why Did People Plant Common Buckthorn?
The plant was introduced into North America sometime in the 1800s as an ornamental shrub. It’s aggressive growth, dense thickets and rapid seed dispersal have helped it outcompete native vegetation in many areas. Today, the sale and cultivation of it is prohibited in states including Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, Connecticut, New Hampshire and Minnesota. It’s also considered a noxious weed in many other states.
Other species of buckthorn are also invasive or potentially invasive, including glossy, alder, Dahurian and Japanese buckthorn.
How Does Common Buckthorn Spread?
Common buckthorn spreads by seed, specifically from birds and other wildlife eating the fruit then dispersing seeds, sometimes over long distances. It can also re-sprout vigorously from cut stumps.
Where Is Common Buckthorn Invasive?
Common buckthorn is problematic throughout much of the Northeast, Midwest, and Western U.S. and much of Canada. It is continuing to spread, which has prompted many states to designate it as invasive or prohibited.
How to Get Rid of Common Buckthorn
Many native trees and shrubs share similar features with buckthorn, so before cutting, check that you’ve correctly identified the plant, says Byron.
If you have common buckthorn in your yard:
- Pull small seedlings by hand. This is easiest to do if the soil is wet.
- Dig out larger seedlings.
- Cut stems of trees and bushes in fall and winter, and immediately paint cuts with an herbicide.
- Monitor the area for new seedlings and resprouts.
- Once eradicated, fill the area with a dense stand of native plants to prevent buckthorn or other invasives from taking root.
While prescribed burns have been used to top-kill large plants, the fire can also stimulate germination of seeds in the soil, says Sharon, so this method should be used with caution.
Common Buckthorn vs. Glossy Buckthorn
Both buckhorn species are invasive, but tend to thrive in different habitats. Common buckthorn is tolerant of dry soils and often found on roadsides, in pastures and along woodland edges. Glossy buckthorn tends to proliferate in west sites, such as wetlands, moist prairies and woodlands. Also, glossy buckthorn leaves lack teeth and they do not have thorns.
Native Alternatives to Grow
Choosing the right native plant to replace buckthorn depends on your planting site, but there are potentially quite a few species to choose from. Possibilities for shrubs, which Byron recommends, include spicebush, ninebark and inkberry. For trees, perhaps serviceberry, redbud and dogwood.
You can contact a local arborist or services like The Morton Arboretum’s online plant selector, or National Wildlife Federation’s native plant finder, for recommendations for your area.
RELATED:
About the Experts
- Sharon Yiesla is an arboretum plant knowledge specialist at The Plant Clinic at The Morton Arboretum in Illinois, with 40 years of experience in the field of horticulture.
- Byron Hays is district manager at Kansas City Davey Tree, where he’s worked for eight years. He holds a bachelor’s degree in forestry from Southern Illinois University.
Sources
- National Park Service – “Invasive Plant Profile: Glossy Buckthorn“
- USDA National Invasive Species Information Center – “Common Buckthorn“
- Michigan Department of Natural Resources – “Common Buckthorn“
