(Rhamnus catharticus)

Purging Buckthorn (Rhamnus catharticus) is a small thorny tree that is widespread across central and eastern England. With a rough grey bark,  they can grow to 5m (16 ft) in height. Scarcely spread, out it prefers lowland areas and can be seen in in woodland, scrub and chalky soils. Bradgers Hill has all of these.

It has green oval shaped leaves (turning yellow in autumn) with finely toothed (serrated) edges. The veins on the leaf point out from the central vein towards the leaf’s edge and then curve and towards the leaf’s tip. The leaves are set in pairs (one growing directly opposite each other either side of a branch). The flowers  are yellowish green with four petals.

In the autumn its poisonous black berries appear (6-10mm) and can be seen in clusters close to the stem / base of the leaves rather than hanging like the fruit of so many other trees and shrubs.

The tree can sometimes be mistaken for Alder Buckthorn. Both trees are the sole food source for the caterpillar of the Brimstone butterfly with Purging Buckthorn the preferred choice.

If your see one, take a photo and submit it to us for use on this website. We’d love to see your submission.

You can see a photograph of a Purging Buckthorn taken on Bradgers Hill to the left!