Professional Buckthorn Removal Services: A Solution to a Thorny Problem for Our Ecosystems

Buckthorn Removal Services: Solving a “Thorny Problem” for Your Landscape

Buckthorn is more than just an “invasive shrub”—it is a direct threat to the health, beauty, and value of your property. If left unchecked, this aggressive invader can completely take over your woodlands, choking out native wildflowers, preventing new tree growth, and creating a thorny, impenetrable mess.

Image Courtesy: AnemoneProjectors, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Buckthorn: A History of Intrusion

European buckthorn ( Rhamnus cathartica) and glossy buckthorn (Frangula alnus) were introduced to North America in the 1800s. Originally brought as ornamental shrubs and for hedgerows, their hardy nature and prolific seed production allowed them to escape cultivation and establish themselves in the wild.

Why Buckthorn is a “Big Problem” for Homeowners

In the St. Croix Valley and Western Wisconsin, buckthorn is a primary concern for homeowners because of its relentless lifecycle:

• Property Devaluation: Dense thickets of buckthorn ruin the “curb appeal” of wooded lots and make recreational land unusable.

• The “Berry Cycle”: A single female buckthorn can produce thousands of berries that birds scatter across your yard, ensuring a new crop of seedlings every spring.

• Chemical Warfare: Buckthorn releases emodin into the soil, a chemical that prevents native plants from growing nearby.

• Aggressive Growth: Buckthorn forms dense thickets, outcompeting native plants for sunlight, water, and nutrients.

• Disruption of Ecosystems: It reduces biodiversity, alters soil nitrogen levels, and provides poor habitat for native wildlife.

• Impact on Native Plants: Buckthorn shades out native seedlings, and prevents the growth of native wildflowers and trees.

Identifying the Enemy: European vs. Glossy Buckthorn

Before you can remove it, you have to know what you are looking for:

European Buckthorn

Rhamnus cathartica

• Thorny twig tips.
• Subopposite leaf arrangement (leaves nearly opposite each other).
• Small, dark berries in clusters.
• Inner bark is orange.

Image Courtesy: Frank Vincentz, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Glossy Buckthorn

Rhamnus frangula

• Lacks thorns
• Alternate leaf arrangement
• Berries that ripen from green to red to dark purple/black
• Lenticels are visible on the bark

What You Can Do About Buckthorn

• Small Seedlings: Pull seedlings by hand, especially after rain when the soil is loose.
• Larger Shrubs: Cut down the shrub close to the ground.
  • Herbicide Application: Apply herbicide to the freshly cut stump to prevent resprouting. This is most effective in late fall.
  • Girdling: For larger trees, girdling (removing a ring of bark) can be effective, but it can take time to kill the tree. Follow up with herbicide on any resprouts.
• Persistence: Buckthorn removal requires ongoing monitoring and treatment, as seeds can remain viable in the soil for several years.

Professional Buckthorn Removal vs. DIY

While small seedlings can be pulled by hand, mature infestations require a professional approach to ensure they don’t return.

• The Risk of “Cut and Forget”: If you simply cut buckthorn without immediate, professional-grade treatment, the stump will send up dozens of “sucker” shoots, making the problem worse.

• Our Solution: NWI Tree Service uses a combination of Forestry Mulching for large-scale clearing and targeted, low-impact applications to ensure the root system is completely neutralized.

When to Call a Professional for Buckthorn Removal:

• Large infestations: If you have a large area covered in buckthorn, professional help is often necessary.
• Difficult terrain: Steep slopes or dense woods can make removal challenging.
• Lack of experience: If you’re unsure about herbicide application or proper removal techniques, it’s best to consult a professional.
• Proper disposal: If you want to ensure proper disposal of the removed material.
• Waterway protection: If you are near waterways, or sensitive natural areas.

Questions to Ask a Professional About Their Buckthorn Removal Services:

• What methods do you use for buckthorn removal? (Cutting, pulling, herbicide application, etc.)
• What type of herbicide do you use, and what are its potential impacts on the environment?
• How do you ensure proper disposal of removed buckthorn material?
• What is your plan to prevent resprouting and seed dispersal?
• Do you have experience working in similar environments?
• What is your follow up plan, and how many return visits are included in the price?
• Are you licensed and insured?
• Can you provide references?

By understanding buckthorn’s impact and taking action, we can help protect our native ecosystems from this invasive threat.

Do You Have a Buckthorn Problem?

Contact us for a free consultation! We’ll thoroughly examine your property to identify the appropriate buckthorn removal services for their safe and efficient removal. Don’t wait, contact us today!