Everything about Rhamnus Cathartica totally explained
Rhamnus cathartica (
Buckthorn,
Common Buckthorn or
Purging Buckthorn), is a species in the family
Rhamnaceae, native to
Europe, northwest
Africa, and western
Asia, from the central
British Isles south to
Morocco, and east to
Kyrgyzstan.
It is a
deciduous shrub or small tree growing to 6–8 m tall, with grey-brown bark and spiny branches. The
leaves are elliptic to oval, 2.5–9 cm long and 1.2–3.5 cm broad; they're green, turning yellow in autumn, and are arranged somewhat variably in opposite to subopposite pairs or alternately. The
flowers are yellowish-green, with four petals; they're
dioecious and insect pollinated. The
fruit is a globose black
drupe 6–10 mm diameter containing two to four
seeds; it's mildly
poisonous for people, but readily eaten by
birds, which disperse the seeds in their droppings.
The species was originally named by Linnaeus as
Rhamnus catharticus, but this spelling was corrected to
cathartica as the genus name
Rhamnus is of feminine gender.
Cultivation and uses
The bark and fruit were used as a
purgative in the past, though their potentially dangerous violent action and side effects means they're now rarely used.
The wood is hard and dense, but little-used.
The species is
naturalised and sometimes
invasive in parts of
North America.
Further Information
Get more info on 'Rhamnus Cathartica'.
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