Removing Invasive Buckthorn - What not to do, and how to keep it from coming back

Removing invasive buckthorn is not easy. Learn from my mistakes, and watch how to ensure this bully of a plant doesn't come back.

In this video, see what happens when you cut back European (or Common) buckthorn and do not cover it up to prevent new growth. I'll share how to manage this invasive plant moving forward, give tips on working with buckthorn, and explain how to dispose of buckthorn plant material to avoid it spreading elsewhere.

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European buckthorn (Rhamnus cathartica) is also known as Common buckthorn, Purging buckthorn, or just plain Buckthorn. European buckthorn is native to Europe, where it can live in balance with its native ecosystem.

Why European buckthorn is so bad
In North America, European buckthorn is considered an invasive plant because it outcompetes native species and can cause harm to natural ecosystems.
It affects biodiversity by pushing out, shading out, and creating soil conditions inhospitable to native plants, such as trillium, chokecherry, jack in the pulpit, and pin cherry.
Common buckthorn is listed as a noxious weed in Ontario’s Weed Control Act.

Identifying buckthorn
Spring & Fall are good times to identify European buckthorn as it leafs out early in the spring and loses its leaves late in the fall.
Leaves are round with small, toothed edges, & come to a small, pointed tip.
Flowers appear on female plants in June, are greenish-yellow, & ~6mm across.
Berries grow from green to bluish black and only form on female plants. Seeds from within the berries can remain viable for 5 years. They are a food source to birds, who drop seeds within their droppings, making this method of distribution particularly effective and challenging to contain.
Buckthorn bark is greyish-brown, smooth, and shiny. Under the bark, there are layers of yellow/green and orange deeper within.

Removing buckthorn
Buckthorn plants have many thorns and the wood is strong, so wear personal protective equipment (PPE) such as strong gloves and eye protection.
Buckthorn can be removed manually or chemically. For chemical removal, please search for acceptable practices for your location.

Manual/chemical free removal
Buckthorn is easiest to remove in moist soil.
If soil is moist, plants up to 1 m tall can be pulled.
Large plants/trees should be dug out or pulled using a weed wrench tool.
If removing the entire plant is not possible, you can cut the tree to about 12” & cover with thick black plastic, creating a large skirt around the base of the plant to prevent resprouting. Leave plastic covering for 1-2 growing seasons (years) and clip off new growth.

Growth habit
Buckthorn can be a shrub or tree. Mature trees can grow 6-7m high and as thick as 25cm.
Buckthorn is shade & drought tolerant.
It can grow in many habitats & is often found along roadsides, fencelines (where birds rest & drop seeds via droppings), abandoned fields.
Buckthorn grows vigorously & can become established & take over natural & abandoned areas quickly.

References & info:
https://www.invasivespeciescentre.ca/...
https://www.eddmaps.org/distribution/...

Timestamps
00:00 Intro
00:23 New growth after one growing season
01:05 New seedlings
01:14 Removing small plants by hand
01:44 Tools and equipment used
01:51 What to do with clippings
02:07 Clipping back new growth
03:05 Closeup of orange heartwood
03:28 Why you should add a skirt around the stump
03:43 Clipping results
04:10 How to solarize buckthorn
04:32 Close up of stump after cutting
04:51 Options for covering the stump
05:20 More buckthorn to contend with
05:42 Buckthorn wood is very hard
06:07 Closeup of buckthorn thorns
06:25 My makeshift buckthorn bag
07:51 Preparing to solarize
08:07 Conclusion

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