Plants › buckthorn family
common buckthorn
Rhamnus cathartica
28 photos
Study shows up to four per card, from different observers, so you learn the species rather than one picture. Heart the good ones and swap any you do not like.
Photos you add are credited to you, and you keep the copyright.
Easily confused with
alder buckthornFrangula alnus
Alderleaf BuckthornRhamnus alnifolia
common dogwoodCornus sanguinea
Asian bittersweetCelastrus orbiculatus
chokecherryPrunus virginiana
black chokeberryAronia melanocarpa
Dahurian BuckthornRhamnus davurica
Common PrivetLigustrum vulgare
Study checks a spoken answer against these, and tells you which one you named.
Where it is recorded
| Alaska | 57,702 |
|---|---|
| United States | 37,622 |
| Canada | 27,600 |
| Ontario | 21,551 |
| Wisconsin | 5,901 |
| Minnesota | 5,768 |
| New York | 5,423 |
| Michigan | 4,672 |
| Illinois | 3,976 |
| Quebec | 3,864 |
Counts show where people looked, not only where it lives.
Traits
Group and habits
- Toxic to humansListed as toxic or not suitable as food for humans by a harvested source.Kew World Checklist of Useful Plant Species
- Medicinal useListed as having medicinal use by a harvested source. This is not medical advice.Kew World Checklist of Useful Plant Species
- Material useListed as being used for materials such as wood, fiber, resin, gum, or oil.Kew World Checklist of Useful Plant Species
- Restoration or landscaping useListed as being used for restoration, landscaping, ornamental planting, erosion control, soil improvement, shade, windbreaks, pollution indicators, or wastewater purification.Kew World Checklist of Useful Plant Species
- Tree growth formListed by a harvested source as having a tree growth form.USDA PLANTS Characteristics
- Shrub growth formListed by a harvested source as having a shrub or bush growth form.USDA PLANTS Characteristics
- Perennial plantListed by a harvested source as having a perennial life duration.USDA PLANTS Characteristics
Edibility, toxicity and medicinal traits are records from datasets, not advice. Never eat, handle or use a wild species on the strength of an app.
Classification
| Kingdom | Plants · Plantae |
|---|---|
| Phylum | Vascular Plants · Tracheophyta |
| Class | Dicots · Magnoliopsida |
| Order | Roses, Elms, Figs, and Allies · Rosales |
| Family | buckthorn family · Rhamnaceae |
| Genus | Buckthorns · Rhamnus |
Study it in a deck
Or build your own from the species near you.
Sources
- Names, taxonomy and observation counts: www.inaturalist.org
- Photos and recordings: the creator and source are on each one.
- Traits: Kew World Checklist of Useful Plant Species (CC BY 4.0)
- Traits: USDA PLANTS Characteristics (U.S. Government work / public domain)
- How much to rely on each source
Remember the name next time.
Practise common buckthorn with real photos from different observers. Say the name out loud, and it comes back just before you would forget it.