Glossy buckthorn is an invasive shrub that can grow up to 20 feet tall in both the forest and agricultural landscape. It is a significant problem in the wild landscape because it replaces native species by increasing nitrogen in the soil and crowding the forest floor, reducing food sources for wildlife. Like many invasives, glossy buckthorn was brought to the U.S. as an ornamental shrub.

It’s important to distinguish between the invasive glossy buckthorn and non-invasive species of common buckthorn and other similar beneficial shrubs. The easiest way to determine if you have glossy buckthorn is to look at the leaves of the shrub – the leaves are shiny, dark green in color, an oval shape, and have smooth edges and distinctive veins on the back of the leaf. According to UNH Extension researchers, glossy buckthorn is more prevalent under stands of white pine forests, and is dispersed by birds eating the buckthorn berries, which have no nutritional value.

Glossy buckthorn can be managed without herbicides, but it takes time. Do not cut glossy buckthorn without treating it or removing it completely – it will grow back even more rigorously. Mechanical strategies like hand-pulling and uprooting can be effective on small populations and larger plants can be removed using a weed wrench or girdling a six inch wide strip around the trunk. For more information, check out these fact sheets from the Vermont Invasives website and the NH Department of Agriculture.