Practical
Plants

Rhamnus cathartica

Common Buckthorn

a perennial woody deciduous member of the Rhamnus genus in the family Rhamnaceae.

No photo available

Taxonomy and growth

Genus
Rhamnus
Life cycle
perennial
Foliage
deciduous
Woodiness
woody
Height
6 m
Spread
3 m
Fertility
Self sterile, Insects
Flower type
dioecious
Pollinators
Insects

Uses

Toxicity

Toxicity warning. The historical record reports a hazard for this plant. Do not use it to decide which parts are safe to eat or use medicinally.

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

The fruit is purgative but not seriously poisonous[11]. Other parts of the plant may also be poisonous[2][12][23][11].

Medicinal uses

Historical medicinal uses. These records describe reported uses. They do not establish safety or effectiveness. Ask a qualified health professional before using any plant medicinally.

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Both the bark and the fruit of common buckthorn have been used for their purgative effect upon the body, however they can be rather violent in their action and so are rarely used in human medicines[17]. The berries, harvested when fully ripe, are cathartic, depurative, diuretic, laxative and violently purgative[1][18][24][12][19][21][15][16]. About 8 - 15 of the mature fruits, chewed before breakfast, are a strong and effective laxative for adults, they should not be used by children[24]. An infusion of the not quite mature fruits is gentler in its action[24]. Use with caution, in large doses the fruit can cause vomiting and violent diarrhoea[24][14].

Product or use
Cathartic
Product or use
Depurative
Product or use
Diuretic
Product or use
Laxative
Product or use
Purgative

Material uses

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

A green dye is obtained from the immature fruit[19][20][4][8][10]. Mixed with gum arabic and limewater, it makes a green pigment used in watercolour painting[16]. Yellow, orange and brownish dyes can also be obtained[3]. The colours are rich but fugitive[18]. A yellow dye is obtained from the bark[21][3][8]. It has been used to colour paper and maps[16]. Often grown as an informal hedge, it is also amenable to trimming[14][11][13]. Wood - hard, handsome with a marble-like grain. Used for small turnery[19][21][22].

Product or use
Dye
Product or use
Wood

Environment

Range
Europe, including Britain, from Scandanavia south and east to N. Africa and W. Asia.
Habitat
Fen peat, scrub, hedges, ash and oak woods, on calcareous often dry soils[9].
Light
full sun
Shade tolerance
light shade
Water
moderate
Hardiness
Zone 3+
Soil textures
sandy, loamy, clay
Soil pH
acid, neutral, alkaline, very alkaline
Tolerates Nutritionally Poor Soil
No
Drought
intolerant

Propagation

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Seed - best sown as soon as it is ripe in the autumn in a cold frame. Stored seed will require 1 - 2 months stratification at 5°c and should be sown as early in the year as possible in a cold frame[13]. Prick out the seedlings into individual pots when they are large enough to handle, and grow them on in the greenhouse or cold frame for their first winter. Plant them out in late spring or early summer of the following year. Cuttings of half-ripe wood, July/August in a frame[7]. Cuttings of mature wood of the current year's growth, autumn in a frame. Layering in early spring[18].

Cultivation

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Succeeds in any reasonably good soil[6]. Prefers a dry or moist calcareous soil[1][18][24] in sun or light dappled shade[13]. This species is hardy to at least -15°c[16]. Plants regenerate well after cutting or burning but young plants are rather prone to frost damage when grown in an exposed position[11]. Plants are resistant to cattle grazing but young plants can be damaged by rabbits[11]. Plants have a very shallow root system[11]. This species often bears the aecidospore stage of 'crown rust' of oats so it should not be grown near cereals[1][11]. The species in this genus are notably resistant to honey fungus[13]. A good bee plant[18][5] and a main food plant for the brimstone butterfly[11]. Dioecious. Male and female plants must be grown if seed is required.

References

  1. F. Chittendon. RHS Dictionary of Plants plus Supplement. 1956 Oxford University Press 1951-00-00

    ↩1↩2↩3

  2. Altmann. H. Poisonous Plants and Animals. Chatto and Windus 1980-00-00 ISBN 0-7011-2526-8

    ↩

  3. Polunin. O. Flowers of Europe - A Field Guide. Oxford University Press 1969-00-00 ISBN 0192176218

    ↩1↩2

  4. Haywood. V. H. Flowering Plants of the World. Oxford University Press ISBN 0-19-217674-9

    ↩

  5. International Bee Research Association. Garden Plants Valuable to Bees. International Bee Research Association. 1981-00-00

    ↩

  6. Bean. W. Trees and Shrubs Hardy in Great Britain. Vol 1 - 4 and Supplement. Murray 1981-00-00

    ↩

  7. Dirr. M. A. and Heuser. M. W. The Reference Manual of Woody Plant Propagation. Athens Ga. Varsity Press 1987-00-00 ISBN 0942375009

    ↩

  8. Johnson. C. P. The Useful Plants of Great Britain.

    ↩1↩2

  9. Clapham, Tootin and Warburg. Flora of the British Isles. Cambridge University Press 1962-00-00

    ↩

  10. Hill. A. F. Economic Botany. The Maple Press 1952-00-00

    ↩

  11. Beckett. G. and K. Planting Native Trees and Shrubs. Jarrold 1979-00-00

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4↩5↩6↩7↩8

  12. Stary. F. Poisonous Plants. Hamlyn 1983-00-00 ISBN 0-600-35666-3

    ↩1↩2

  13. Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press 1992-00-00 ISBN 0-333-47494-5

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4

  14. Lust. J. The Herb Book. Bantam books 1983-00-00 ISBN 0-553-23827-2

    ↩1↩2

  15. Duke. J. A. and Ayensu. E. S. Medicinal Plants of China Reference Publications, Inc. 1985-00-00 ISBN 0-917256-20-4

    ↩

  16. Bown. D. Encyclopaedia of Herbs and their Uses. Dorling Kindersley, London. 1995-00-00 ISBN 0-7513-020-31

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4

  17. Phillips. R. & Foy. N. Herbs Pan Books Ltd. London. 1990-00-00 ISBN 0-330-30725-8

    ↩

  18. Grieve. A Modern Herbal. Penguin 1984-00-00 ISBN 0-14-046-440-9

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4↩5

  19. Uphof. J. C. Th. Dictionary of Economic Plants. Weinheim 1959-00-00

    ↩1↩2↩3

  20. Schery. R. W. Plants for Man.

    ↩

  21. Usher. G. A Dictionary of Plants Used by Man. Constable 1974-00-00 ISBN 0094579202

    ↩1↩2↩3

  22. Komarov. V. L. Flora of the USSR. Israel Program for Scientific Translation 1968-00-00

    ↩

  23. Cooper. M. and Johnson. A. Poisonous Plants in Britain and their Effects on Animals and Man. HMSO 1984-00-00 ISBN 0112425291

    ↩

  24. Launert. E. Edible and Medicinal Plants. Hamlyn 1981-00-00 ISBN 0-600-37216-2

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4↩5

Edit this page