Buckthorn

Both common and glossy buckthorns are common in woodlots throughout Calumet County. In autumn, when most trees have dropped their leaves, the green shrubs or small trees that remain green are buckthorns. They can reach 20-25 feet in height and 10 inches in diameter. Usually they grow in a large shrub growth form, having a few to several stems from the base. The shrubs have spreading, loosely-branched crowns. Their bark is gray to brown, and both species of buckthorn are distinctive enough from native species to be identified at all times of the year once the characteristics of the bark have been learned. Buckthorn is spread by seeds, and care should be taken to avoid spreading this invasive plant. For additional information on common and glossy buckthorn, visit http://dnr.wi.gov/invasives/fact/buckthorn_com.htm