Invasive buckthorn sightings jump 50% across Canada as autumn arrives
iNaturalist Community
Invasive Species
The shrub with dark berries and leaves that stay green after your maple and ash have turned is probably buckthorn, and pulling it now, while it's easy to identify, protects the native plants and woodland birds around your yard.
Common buckthorn is an invasive shrub that crowds out native plants in woodlands and hedgerows. Canadian nature watchers logged 784 sightings this week, up from 521 the week before. Autumn makes it stand out, since it keeps its green leaves late and carries clusters of black berries.
Key Findings
784 iNaturalist observations of common buckthorn in Canada in the past 7 days
Up 263 from 521 in the prior 7 days, roughly a 50% increase
Among the most-observed plants in Canada this week
chevron_right Technical Summary
Common buckthorn, an invasive shrub, drew 784 iNaturalist observations in Canada this week, up 263 from 521 the week before. Fall is when its dark berries and lingering green leaves make it easy to spot, so people are noticing and recording it.
Abstract Preview
Original paper
Trending: common buckthorn (Rhamnus cathartica) — 784 observations this week
Common buckthorn (Rhamnus cathartica) is a species in the family Rhamnaceae. iNaturalist users recorded 784 observations of it in Canada in the 7 days before today, among the most for any plant the...
open_in_new Read full abstractAbstract copyright held by the original publisher.
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