Frangula

The genus Buckthorn (Frangula) includes mainly deciduous, but also evergreen shrubs or small trees. The branches are not prickly, covered with beautiful glossy alternate or opposite leaves. Small greenish flowers are not decorative. The fruit is juicy spherical, with three non-opening bones. Seeds are lenticular, without a furrow, with a spout. Buckthorn is often grouped in the same genus as Rhamnus, which has spiny branches, whole leaves, and small flowers in racemes or panicles. Tinder-wood is bred as an ornamental plant and for hedges. Tester evergreen (Rhamnus alatenus) is a component of the Mediterranean maquis, an evergreen shrub or tree with a branched, often divided trunk covered with reddish-gray furrowed bark. The leaves are simple, oval or elliptical in shape with a solid or slightly sawn edge and a white border. The flowers are small greenish-yellow, collected in short axillary racemes, blooming in March-April. The fruits are dark and rounded. Rhamnus cathartica is a hardy deciduous shrub or tree with a prickly straight trunk. The leaves are simple, elliptical to rounded, with a serrated edge. Yellow-green flowers, collected in axillary inflorescences, bloom from April to June. The fruit is round. Buckthorn alder, or brittle (Frangula alnus), is a stable deciduous shrub or tree with a branched trunk up to 7 m high, with smooth, almost black bark containing tannins. The leaves are simple elliptical, with a slightly wavy edge. Small greenish-white flowers are collected in groups in the axils, blooming from May to July. The fruits are small, green at first, then red, and after ripening - black. This species is a medicinal plant, it is also used as an ornamental crop. Tester pygmy (R. pumila) - a stable deciduous creeping species with twisted branches. Regular leaves are oval or elliptical. Small greenish flowers appear in May-June. The fruits are colored in tones ranging from dark purple to blackish. Less common species include alpine stiffener (R. alpina), a hardy deciduous plant, and California stiffener (R. californica), an evergreen plant in areas with mild climates.

The genus Buckthorn (Frangula) includes mainly deciduous, but also evergreen shrubs or small trees. The branches are not prickly, covered with beautiful glossy alternate or opposite leaves. Small greenish flowers are not decorative. The fruit is juicy spherical, with three non-opening bones. Seeds are lenticular, without a furrow, with a spout. Buckthorn is often grouped in the same genus as Rhamnus, which has spiny branches, whole leaves, and small flowers in racemes or panicles. Tinder-wood is bred as an ornamental plant and for hedges.

Tester evergreen (Rhamnus alatenus) is a component of the Mediterranean maquis, an evergreen shrub or tree with a branched, often divided trunk covered with reddish-gray furrowed bark. The leaves are simple, oval or elliptical in shape with a solid or slightly sawn edge and a white border.

The flowers are small greenish-yellow, collected in short axillary racemes, blooming in March-April. The fruits are dark and rounded.

Rhamnus cathartica is a hardy deciduous shrub or tree with a prickly straight trunk. The leaves are simple, elliptical to rounded, with a serrated edge. Yellow-green flowers, collected in axillary inflorescences, bloom from April to June. The fruit is round.

Buckthorn alder, or brittle (Frangula alnus), is a stable deciduous shrub or tree with a branched trunk up to 7 m high, with smooth, almost black bark containing tannins. The leaves are simple elliptical, with a slightly wavy edge. Small greenish-white flowers are collected in groups in the axils, blooming from May to July. The fruits are small, green at first, then red, and after ripening - black. This species is a medicinal plant, it is also used as an ornamental crop.

Tester pygmy (R. pumila) - a stable deciduous creeping species with twisted branches. Regular leaves are oval or elliptical. Small greenish flowers appear in May-June. The fruits are colored in tones ranging from dark purple to blackish.

Less common species include alpine stiffener (R. alpina), a hardy deciduous plant, and California stiffener (R. californica), an evergreen plant in areas with mild climates.

Cultivation

Buckthorn is grown mainly as a shrub or tree in gardens and parks. Dwarf tinder is suitable for rock gardens and as a groundcover plant. The crop is planted permanently in the ground in the spring; there are no special requirements for the soil, only a well-drained one is preferred. During planting, organic fertilizers are applied at the rate of 5 kg/m2. In spring and summer (young plants) are fed once every 15-20 days - a complex fertilizer is added to the water for irrigation in the amount of 20 g per bucket. When pruning, only dry, damaged or unsightly branches are removed.

Buckthorn is grown mainly as a shrub or tree in gardens and parks. Dwarf tinder is suitable for rock gardens and as a groundcover plant. The crop is planted permanently in the ground in the spring; there are no special requirements for the soil, only a well-drained one is preferred. During planting, organic fertilizers are applied at the rate of 5 kg/m2. In spring and summer (young plants) are fed once every 15-20 days - a complex fertilizer is added to the water for irrigation in the amount of 20 g per bucket. When pruning, only dry, damaged or unsightly branches are removed.

Location

Buckthorn prefers partial shade.

Temperature

Plants are generally resistant to high and low air temperatures. Only evergreen tin and California tin are more suitable for areas with a mild climate, they do not tolerate temperatures below 5-8 °C.

Watering

It is necessary only for young plants immediately after planting in the ground and during periods of prolonged drought.

Reproduction

Buckthorn is propagated by seeds that are sown directly in the open ground in September-October. As soon as the seedlings grow up, they are thinned out. Landing on a permanent place is carried out in 2-3 years. Another method is multiplication by layers. In autumn or spring, the lowest branches are dug into the ground, making an incision from below. Then, after 1-2 years, they are separated from the mother plant to plant on their own.

Diseases

Buckthorn and pumila are affected by Cercospora and Phylosticta, which simultaneously cause the appearance of necrotic spots on their leaves. Treatment with appropriate fungicides is performed only in case of significant damage. But usually, it is enough to remove the diseased parts of the plant. The leaves can also be affected by other fungi: rust, which causes yellowing, and powdery mildew of grapes (whitish mold develops). They are disposed of with appropriate fungicides.

Acquisition

Some types and forms of buckthorn can be easily found in gardening centers and specialized nurseries. Choose well-formed seedlings. In evergreen species, the foliage should be particularly lush. Make sure that the plants are healthy.