Common Buckthorn Yamadori, the beginnings of a journey (Rhamnus cathartica)

[Bonsai Nut]

Done!

 

[Gaea's listener]

Yes! I just took it out of the bag yesterday, a bunch of shoots are 2" or more and lots of new little buds breaking. Going to keep it out of the sun for about a month and just get it some partial sun and see what happens.

Apparently they are very hardy, so it should be ok, keep us posted. My concern is mostly about them being very invasive, I wouldn't want the berries to be eaten by birds and then dispersed, as apparently the seeds can last for years. Just curious what are your thoughts on that and possible solutions? I know I could trim off the berries, but they will likely be pretty to look at

 

[Agriff]

Apparently they are very hardy, so it should be ok, keep us posted. My concern is mostly about them being very invasive, I wouldn't want the berries to be eaten by birds and then dispersed, as apparently the seeds can last for years. Just curious what are your thoughts on that and possible solutions? I know I could trim off the berries, but they will likely be pretty to look at

I'm growing buckthorn and planning on disposing of berries at the first sight. Part of the cost of doing business with an invasive imo

 

[Leo in N E Illinois]

I have spent many hours grubbing out, cutting down & herbiciding buckthorn that is invading a small local high quality prairie remnant. I could not bear looking at a buckthorn in my yard. They are horribly invasive in my neighborhood.

But in the EU, where it is native, it is better behaved.

Just my 2¢.

 

[Bnana]

I have spent many hours grubbing out, cutting down & herbiciding buckthorn that is invading a small local high quality prairie remnant. I could not bear looking at a buckthorn in my yard. They are horribly invasive in my neighborhood.

But in the EU, where it is native, it is better behaved.

Just my 2¢.

We have huge problems with blackcherry (Prunus serotina) in the EU. That is well behaved in the US. The lack of pathogens in the invaded range send to be key in this.

 

[Gaea's listener]

I'm growing buckthorn and planning on disposing of berries at the first sight. Part of the cost of doing business with an invasive imo

That makes sense
Back when I asked you about it, I thought the tree I was thinking of collecting was buckthron. After leafing out and flowering, turned out to be a russian olive, elaeagnus angustifolia, such beautiful tree that completely overtook many areas in my region, but black trunk and silver leaves + gorgeous branch structure make it very attractive. I couldn't bare to take it due to the strong thorns. The tree didn't want to be touched, I tried. But I did collect autum olive, Elaeagnus umbellata, from the same construction side as a pre bonsai and it's coming back from a drastic chop of it's wild growing and bushy branches. They're also very invasive here so I'll have to watch for the berries in the future. I'll probably eat them as they are a superfood, that's why they were brought here to Ontario in 1830s. It will likely not flower again this year as the trunk chop was severe. The autumn olives also have thorns but much more subtle then the russian olives, I didn't noticed until I was actively looking for it. The whole tree has perhaps 2 thorns at this point. It's fun to work with trees that are "invasive" bc they have so much vigour and come back from the assault. It may be more challenging down the road but for now as a newbie it is a sweet learning tree that I'm good taking, knowing it would be otherwise destroyed during construction anyways. Here's a picture before and after the trip- before photo actually has already been trimmed at the collection site. New buds are forming now, 2 weeks after the chop

 

[Gaea's listener]

That makes sense
Back when I asked you about it, I thought the tree I was thinking of collecting was buckthron. After leafing out and flowering, turned out to be a russian olive, elaeagnus angustifolia, such beautiful tree that completely overtook many areas in my region, but black trunk and silver leaves + gorgeous branch structure make it very attractive. I couldn't bare to take it due to the strong thorns. The tree didn't want to be touched, I tried. But I did collect autum olive, Elaeagnus umbellata, from the same construction side as a pre bonsai and it's coming back from a drastic chop of it's wild growing and bushy branches. They're also very invasive here so I'll have to watch for the berries in the future. I'll probably eat them as they are a superfood, that's why they were brought here to Ontario in 1830s. It will likely not flower again this year as the trunk chop was severe. The autumn olives also have thorns but much more subtle then the russian olives, I didn't noticed until I was actively looking for it. The whole tree has perhaps 2 thorns at this point. It's fun to work with trees that are "invasive" bc they have so much vigour and come back from the assault. It may be more challenging down the road but for now as a newbie it is a sweet learning tree that I'm good taking, knowing it would be otherwise destroyed during construction anyways. Here's a picture before and after the trip- before photo actually has already been trimmed at the collection side. New buds are forming now, 2 weeks after the chop

 

[Gaea's listener]

I have spent many hours grubbing out, cutting down & herbiciding buckthorn that is invading a small local high quality prairie remnant. I could not bear looking at a buckthorn in my yard. They are horribly invasive in my neighborhood.

But in the EU, where it is native, it is better behaved.

Just my 2¢.

I miss identified the tree thinking it was buckthron, still don't know for sure how it looks like, gotta pay more attention on my walks to see it, I'm sure it's in many places.

 

[CasAH]

I have spent many hours grubbing out, cutting down & herbiciding buckthorn that is invading a small local high quality prairie remnant. I could not bear looking at a buckthorn in my yard. They are horribly invasive in my neighborhood.

But in the EU, where it is native, it is better behaved.

Just my 2¢.

Thanks Leo, I have been doing prairie restoration work in the Palos preserves for 30 years now. Got 95% of an 80 acre site cleared of buckthorn and honeysuckle.

 

[Leo in N E Illinois]

There's a county forest preserve in Glenview, that was the 1840's homestead of a Scottish physician, who was the arsehole who introduced buckthorn to the USA. Glenview Illinois is the epicenter of the buckthorn invasion. Now a plague throughout the eastern and midwestern North America. Who knew?

 

[The Warm Canuck]

I have a ton of Buckthorn on my property, I'd like to take one out of the ground. Apparently this species is extremely hardy. Do you guy think is could survive a Yamadori this time of year?