Invasive Species Environmental Impacts: Common Buckthorn Information

The common buckthorn, a well known invasive species to the state of Vermont, has become an imminent threat to the landscape and ecosystems of the state. It grows very rapidly and very densely in the understory of many native trees such as oak, beech and maples; all extremely common throughout Vermont. The buckthorn is especially dangerous to ecosystems because it can disperse very wide, reproduces its seeds very rapidly and has a very high level of phenotypic plasticity allowing it to grow just about anywhere. Also, even after the plant has been cut it is known to rapidly resprout in the same spot.

Buckthorn is thought to have originated from countries in Eurasia and was shipped to North and South America to use for ornamentals. Around 1849, buckthorn was used in Wisconsin to create appealing hedgerows, hinting how it has crept into Vermont. The plant itself is a small woody shrub, varying in height but can peak at up to 20 feet of growth. The glossy green leaves of the plants can grow from 1-3 inches long and attach to slim twigs that are often tipped with short spines. Optimal growth occurs from late May all the way until the first frost and small purple berries are ripe from July to late September.

The most dangerous thing about the invasive buckthorn is its ability to rapidly grown and rapidly adapt to different environmental conditions. Due to these traits, the buckthorn grows wild once it starts, causing other small, native plants to be shaded from the sun and eventually driven to extinction. Not only does this destroy the variability of plant species, but many animal species cannot thrive in these environments without the native plant resources available. This inevitably can cause complete ecosystems to collapse.

Although a very scary invasive species, there are steps that can be taken to begin to eliminate the buckthorn. The best way to begin is to educate the public on what the plant looks like and how to identify it in the wild. With this information, an average citizen can inform the correct authorities about the potential problem. Since the plant can survive even after being cut, an herbicide, such as triclopyr, must be sprayed on it to destroy the growth cells, disabling it from growing anymore. Since chemicals are often times bad for surrounding plants as well, buckthorn has also been known to be used in weaving baskets and pot holders by stripping the bark into small strips. It is also known that certain native animals like deer and cattle occasionally like to graze on the buckthorn. In areas where it is permit able and containable, buckthorn is also burned in mass quantities.