Glossy Buckthorn
Frangula alnus · Rhamnaceae (Buckthorn family)
AI-generated identification · may be incorrect
Leaf Morphology
Leaf Type
Simple, deciduous
Shape
Elliptical to ovate with an acute tip
Margin
Entire or very finely wavy
Arrangement
Alternate
Venation
Pinnate with 6 to 9 pairs of prominent parallel veins arching toward the leaf tip
Key Features
Alternate leaf arrangement, entire margins with noticeably parallel veins (6-9 pairs), glossy upper leaf surface, and reddish-brown twigs with white lenticels
Description
A large deciduous shrub or small tree growing up to 20 feet tall with smooth dark brown bark marked with white lenticels. It produces small, inconspicuous greenish-white flowers followed by berries that ripen from red to dark purple-black.
Habitat
Thrives in damp woods, fens, bogs, wetland borders, and disturbed upland forests, tolerating a wide range of soil conditions
Native Range
Native to Europe, northwest Africa, and western Asia; widely introduced and invasive in North America