OutdoorMN News - It’s not too late to identify, control invasive buckthorn

[Rick]

Common buckthorn and glossy buckthorn retain their leaves well into late fall, so now is a good time to identify and control this invasive shrub.

Buckthorn out-competes native plants, degrades wildlife habitat, contributes to erosion by shading out other plants that grow on the forest floor and serves as a host to undesirable insect pests and plant diseases, according to the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources.

Property owners should look for tall understory shrubs or small trees of up to 18–25 feet with a spreading, loosely branched crown and often multiple stems at the base.

Common buckthorn has finely toothed, egg-shaped leaves that are pointed at the tip and have three to five curved leaf veins. Twigs often end in small, sharp thorns of less than one-quarter inch. Mature plants can have large berry-like clusters of fruits containing three to four seeds.

Glossy buckthorn has oval, smooth, dark glossy leaves with toothless edges, and eight to nine pairs of leaf veins. Despite its name, glossy buckthorn does not have a thorn at the tip of twigs. Mature shrubs can have small clusters of berry-like fruit that ripen progressively from red-brown to dark purple and contain two to three seeds in each fruit.

The Minnesota Department of Agriculture designates buckthorn as a restricted noxious week. This means that buckthorn cannot be sold or purposefully planted. It was first brought to Minnesota from Europe in the mid-1800s as a popular hedging material. Shortly after its introduction here, it was found to be quite invasive in natural areas.

Early identification and control of newly established plants is the easiest and most cost-effective way of controlling buckthorn. Pulling by hand can be an effective way to control smaller areas of young plants. If pulling individual plants is impractical, herbicides can also be effective when properly used. Once established, mature shrubs or trees will require aggressive treatment and continued monitoring. Trunks more than 2 inches in diameter are best controlled by cutting the stem at the soil surface and then covering or treating the stump to prevent re-sprouting.

More information about buckthorn identification, impacts and control measures can be found on the DNR website on the buckthorn page. Landowners who discover large patches of established buckthorn are encouraged to contact a DNR forester for additional advice and resources.

Discuss below - to view set the hook here.

[delcecchi]

Tell it to the City of Rochester and Olmsted County.  I walk along the bike paths and they are lined with buckthorn.