Leaves & needles
Alternate oval leaves with smooth margins and several pairs of relatively straight side veins.
UK nativeDeciduousTypical height 2–6 m
Alder buckthorn
Frangula alnus
A native, thornless shrub or small tree of damp places, important as a food plant for brimstone caterpillars.
THROUGH THE YEAR
Alder buckthorn through the seasons
An open, upright shrub with green, red and dark fruits at different stages.
Leaves turn yellow as ripe fruits become black.
Slender thornless shoots with conspicuously unscaled, hairy buds.
Typical open-grown form. Leaf fall varies with weather and location; young or clipped trees may retain dead leaves. Pruned, sheltered and young trees can look different.
LOOK A LITTLE CLOSER
How to identify alder buckthorn
Bark
Dark brown with pale markings; the underlying bark is yellow, but do not strip it for identification.
Twigs
Smooth purple-brown shoots with pale streak-like lenticels; no thorns.
Buds
Small naked buds lack protective scales and are covered in fine hairs.
Flowers & pollen
Tiny greenish-white, five-petalled flowers occur in leaf axils.
Fruit, seeds & cones
Small fruits ripen from green through red to black; several colours can appear together.
Typical flowering: May, Jun. Weather and location change timing.
Images show typical features and are not to scale. Confirm several features using the reference sources below.
CARE WITH PURPOSE
Caring for alder buckthorn
Help it thrive
Favour moist, acidic to neutral soil. Keep roots from drying during establishment and leave space for an open, natural habit.
Pruning advice
Usually needs little intervention. Remove selected crowded or damaged stems, preserving flowering and fruiting growth.
When can it be pruned?
November–February for light shaping
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Highlighted months are an indicative window for the work described, not a reason to prune every year. An unshaded month is not an absolute ban.
Timing must suit the tree's health, weather, wildlife and legal protection. Avoid severe frost, drought and vulnerable new leaf growth. Mature trees, major branches and suspected defects need professional assessment.
Tree health: what to watch for
Fruit is not suitable for eating; use visual clues rather than tasting.
Identification & care references
Guide researched November 2026. Identification remains provisional until several features agree. UK native means native in some part of the UK, not necessarily your area.
Before work in England, check tree preservation orders, conservation-area restrictions and wildlife protection. Official tree protection guidance ↗