Glossy Buckthorn

Frangula alnus

Found in forested areas, other disturbed areas. FloraQuest, phone app (app page) What its natural habitat tells you

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Not native

Not native to Virginia. How scores work Is it native here?

Profile 76%

Height: 10–16 feet
Spread: 8–12 feet
Light: Full sun, Partial shade
Soil moisture: Usually moist

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At a glance

Life cycle: Woody perennial
Leaves: Deciduous or evergreen
Bloom: May to June
Fruiting season: July to September

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Recorded in 5 Virginia counties.

Natural habitats

Places it grows wild. Not a planting requirement. Each habitat page lists the plants and wildlife also found there.

Roadsides, fields and disturbed ground

Ground opened by people: roadsides, old fields, pastures, fencerows and lots.

All habitats

Also found with this plant

Wildlife whose habitat models include habitats this plant grows in, in Virginia. Shared habitat, not food. 101 animals.

Brown Creeper
Certhia americana
Birds. 1 shared habitat
Canada Warbler
Wilsonia canadensis
Birds. 1 shared habitat
Carolina Chickadee
Poecile carolinensis
Birds. 1 shared habitat
Carolina Wren
Thryothorus ludovicianus
Birds. 1 shared habitat
Cedar Waxwing
Bombycilla cedrorum
Birds. 1 shared habitat
Cerulean Warbler
Dendroica cerulea
Birds. 1 shared habitat
Chimney Swift
Chaetura pelagica
Birds. 1 shared habitat
Chipping Sparrow
Spizella passerina
Birds. 1 shared habitat
Chuck-will's-widow
Caprimulgus carolinensis
Birds. 1 shared habitat
Common Grackle
Quiscalus quiscula
Birds. 1 shared habitat
Common Nighthawk
Chordeiles minor
Birds. 1 shared habitat
Common Raven
Corvus corax
Birds. 1 shared habitat
Common Yellowthroat
Geothlypis trichas
Birds. 1 shared habitat
Cooper's Hawk
Accipiter cooperii
Birds. 1 shared habitat
Dark-eyed Junco
Junco hyemalis
Birds. 1 shared habitat
Downy Woodpecker
Picoides pubescens
Birds. 1 shared habitat
Eastern Bluebird
Sialia sialis
Birds. 1 shared habitat
Eastern Kingbird
Tyrannus tyrannus
Birds. 1 shared habitat
Eastern Screech-owl
Megascops asio
Birds. 1 shared habitat
Eastern Towhee
Pipilo erythrophthalmus
Birds. 1 shared habitat
Eastern Wood-pewee
Contopus virens
Birds. 1 shared habitat
European Starling
Sturnus vulgaris
Birds. 1 shared habitat
Evening Grosbeak
Coccothraustes vespertinus
Birds. 1 shared habitat
Fox Sparrow
Passerella iliaca
Birds. 1 shared habitat

All wildlife of Virginia

Ecological relationships

Who uses this plant?

What these records mean

18CaterpillarsGenus host records with ranges including VA

Genus host records with ranges including VA · Rhamnus

Antheraea polyphemusPolyphemus Moth
Argyrotaenia quercifolianaYellow-Winged Oak Leafroller Moth, Lined Oak Leafroller
Choristoneura rosaceanaOblique-Banded Leafroller Moth, Rosaceous Leaf Roller
Eulia ministranaFerruginous Eulia
Eupithecia miserulataCommon Eupithacia, Common Pug
Eupithecia misturataInsignificant Pug
Hyphantria cuneaFall Webworm
Iridopsis defectariaBrown-Shaded Gray, Willow Looper
Lacanobia subjunctaSpeckled Arches, Subdues Arches, Harnessed Mamestra, Speckled Cutworm Moth, Grand Arches?(incorrectly)
Melanolophia canadariaCanadian Melanolphia, Variable Redmarked Looper

Show all 18

Orgyia leucostigmaWhite-Marked Tussock Moth
Palthis angulalisDark-Spotted Palthis
Papilio glaucusEastern Tiger Swallowtail
Rhopobota naevanaBlackheaded Fireworm, Holly Bud Moth, Holly Tortrix
Spilosoma virginicaVirginian Tiger Moth, Yellow Woolybear Moth, Yellow Bear
Syndemis afflictanaFall Dead-Leaf Roller, Gray Leafroller, Black-and-Grey Banded Leafroller
Thyridopteryx ephemeraeformisEvergreen Bagworm Moth
Triphosa haesitataTissue Moth, Brown Tissue

Shropshire & Tallamy 2025, Lepidoptera of North America north of Mexico, ZooKeys 1261 (ODbL)

—BeesSoutheastern regional records

—Specialist beesPollen specialists

12BirdsRecorded genus food-resource interactions; not a state feeding claim

Recorded genus food-resource interactions; not a state feeding claim · Rhamnus

Aphelocoma californicaCalifornia Scrub-Jay
Campylorhynchus brunneicapillusCactus Wren
Catharus guttatusHermit Thrush
Catharus ustulatusSwainson's Thrush
Ixoreus naeviusVaried Thrush
Meleagris gallopavoWild Turkey
Patagioenas fasciataBand-tailed Pigeon
Sphyrapicus ruberRed-breasted Sapsucker
Toxostoma redivivumCalifornia Thrasher
Turdus migratoriusAmerican Robin

Show all 12

Tyrannus tyrannusEastern Kingbird
Zenaida asiaticaWhite-winged Dove

Hurlbert, Olsen, Sawyer & Winner 2021, Avian Diet Database, Scientific Data 8: 260 (CC0)

Direct food only: birds recorded eating this genus across North America. Caterpillars on host plants also feed nesting birds. NC Native Plant Society: butterfly gardening

Growing and identification

Plant details

Family: Rhamnaceae
Hardiness: Zones 2a–7b
Soil pH: Acidic to alkaline
Flower color: Black, yellow, green or purple
Fruit begins: July
Fruit ends: September

Safety has not been reviewed for this plant; check toxicity and thorns before planting.

Growing sources and scope

Bloom · “May to June” · FloraQuest: Carolinas, Georgia (Southeastern Flora Team), phone app (app page) · Carolinas and Georgia
Flower color · “Black, yellow, green or purple” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox
Fruit begins · “July” · FloraQuest: Carolinas, Georgia (Southeastern Flora Team), phone app (app page) · Carolinas and Georgia
Fruit ends · “September” · FloraQuest: Carolinas, Georgia (Southeastern Flora Team), phone app (app page) · Carolinas and Georgia
Hardiness · “Zones 2a–7b” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox
Height · “10–16 feet” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox (ranked first; Fire Effects Information System: Frangula alnus, Minnesota Wildflowers differ)
Leaves · “Deciduous or evergreen” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox
Life cycle · “Woody perennial” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox
Light · “Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day); Partial shade (direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox
Soil · “Occasionally wet” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox
Soil pH · “Acidic to alkaline” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox
Spread · “8–12 feet” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox

Also known as

European Alder Buck Thorn; Glossy Alder Buck Thorn; buckthorn

Conservation status

Virginia rank	SNA
Global rank	GNR
VA status	Not verified
Federal status	Not verified

Conservation source Global and federal source