Field Guide: Trees and Shrubs

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Common Buckthorn
You found Common buckthorn (Rhamnus cathartica).
Also known as European buckthorn, this shrub or small tree grows 8 to 20 feet tall (7). The elliptical leaves are opposite, but occasionally alternate. The leaves are green above and paler underneath (6). There are curved lateral veins on the leaves. The leaves fall in late autumn. The bark is brown and smooth. The fruit is a drupe that is mature in early autumn. It is an invasive species.