Pollinator plant

Common Buckthorn

Rhamnus cathartica

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Common names

46 names · 28 languages
EnglishYour language
+3 more namesShow fewer names
Other languages (27)
Dutch
French
Asturian
Belarusian
  • Жасцёр слабіцельны, ці Жыстярына[3]
Catalan
  • Espina-cervina[3]
Chinese (Simplified)
Chinese (Traditional)
Croatian
  • Krkavina[3]
  • Obična krkavina[3]
  • Pasdrijen[3]
+4 more namesShow fewer names
  • Pasja krkavina[3]
  • Pasjakovina[3]
  • Pasji trn[3]
  • Trnovita krkavina[3]
Czech
  • řešetlák počistivý[3]
Danish
Estonian
  • harilik türnpuu[3]
Finnish
  • orapaatsama[3]
German
Hungarian
  • Varjútövis[3]
  • varjútövis-benge[3]
Italian
Lithuanian
  • Dygioji šunobelė[3]
Luxembourgish
Norwegian
Polish
  • Szakłak pospolity[3]
Portuguese
Russian
  • Жостер слабительный[3]
  • Крушина слабительная[3]
Slovak
  • rešetliak prečisťujúci[3]
Slovenian
  • čistilna kozja češnja[3]
Spanish
Swedish
Turkish
Ukrainian
  • Жостір проносний[3]
Sources & name notes (5)

Names recorded in our plant catalogue and botanical sources, grouped by language. Usage can vary by region.

Catalogue language labels are reviewed separately from botanical source records.

Numbered references identify names recorded by an external source. Other names are from our plant catalogue.

[1] Rhamnus cathartica — iNaturalist taxon names ↗

Community-curated iNaturalist taxonomy. This is a common-name attestation, not an independent botanical determination.

Source records
  • Echter Kreuzdorn — results[0].names[37]; taxon id 54811; Rhamnus cathartica.
  • Purgier-Kreuzdorn — results[0].names[9]; taxon id 54811; Rhamnus cathartica.
  • common buckthorn — results[0].names[1]; taxon id 54811; Rhamnus cathartica.
  • European buckthorn — results[0].names[3]; taxon id 54811; Rhamnus cathartica.
  • European waythorn — results[0].names[39]; taxon id 54811; Rhamnus cathartica.
  • Hart's thorn — results[0].names[40]; taxon id 54811; Rhamnus cathartica.
  • Purging Buckthorn — results[0].names[44]; taxon id 54811; Rhamnus cathartica.
  • Espino cerval — results[0].names[46]; taxon id 54811; Rhamnus cathartica.
  • Nerprun cathartique — results[0].names[6]; taxon id 54811; Rhamnus cathartica.
  • Nerprun officinal — results[0].names[7]; taxon id 54811; Rhamnus cathartica.
  • Nerprun purgatif — results[0].names[5]; taxon id 54811; Rhamnus cathartica.
  • spino cervino — results[0].names[34]; taxon id 54811; Rhamnus cathartica.
  • Wegedoorn — results[0].names[11]; taxon id 54811; Rhamnus cathartica.
  • espinheiro-cerval — results[0].names[4]; taxon id 54811; Rhamnus cathartica.
[2] Catalogue of Life 2026-08-20 — Rhamnus cathartica ↗

Common names from World Plants, version 26.05, reproduced in Catalogue of Life 2026-08-20. License: CC BY.

Source records
  • Echter Kreuzdorn — VernacularName.tsv, line 168101; taxon 4RZYQ.
  • Purgier-Kreuzdorn (DE) — VernacularName.tsv, line 168102; taxon 4RZYQ.
  • Common Buckthorn (EN) — VernacularName.tsv, line 168100; taxon 4RZYQ.
[3] Rhamnus cathartica — iNaturalist taxon names ↗

Community-curated iNaturalist taxonomy; common-name attestation, not an independent botanical determination.

Source records
  • Echter Kreuzdorn — results[16].names[37]; taxon id 54811; Rhamnus cathartica.
  • Purgier-Kreuzdorn — results[16].names[9]; taxon id 54811; Rhamnus cathartica.
  • common buckthorn — results[16].names[1]; taxon id 54811; Rhamnus cathartica.
  • European buckthorn — results[16].names[3]; taxon id 54811; Rhamnus cathartica.
  • European waythorn — results[16].names[39]; taxon id 54811; Rhamnus cathartica.
  • Hart's thorn — results[16].names[40]; taxon id 54811; Rhamnus cathartica.
  • Purging Buckthorn — results[16].names[44]; taxon id 54811; Rhamnus cathartica.
  • Espino cerval — results[16].names[46]; taxon id 54811; Rhamnus cathartica.
  • Nerprun cathartique — results[16].names[6]; taxon id 54811; Rhamnus cathartica.
  • Nerprun officinal — results[16].names[7]; taxon id 54811; Rhamnus cathartica.
  • Nerprun purgatif — results[16].names[5]; taxon id 54811; Rhamnus cathartica.
  • spino cervino — results[16].names[34]; taxon id 54811; Rhamnus cathartica.
  • Wegedoorn — results[16].names[11]; taxon id 54811; Rhamnus cathartica.
  • espinheiro-cerval — results[16].names[4]; taxon id 54811; Rhamnus cathartica.
  • řešetlák počistivý — results[16].names[8]; taxon id 54811; Rhamnus cathartica.
  • Vrietorn — results[16].names[10]; taxon id 54811; Rhamnus cathartica.
  • Жостер слабительный — results[16].names[12]; taxon id 54811; Rhamnus cathartica.
  • geitved — results[16].names[13]; taxon id 54811; Rhamnus cathartica.
  • Cambron — results[16].names[14]; taxon id 54811; Rhamnus cathartica.
  • orapaatsama — results[16].names[15]; taxon id 54811; Rhamnus cathartica.
  • Krkavina — results[16].names[16]; taxon id 54811; Rhamnus cathartica.
  • Dygioji šunobelė — results[16].names[17]; taxon id 54811; Rhamnus cathartica.
  • Szakłak pospolity — results[16].names[18]; taxon id 54811; Rhamnus cathartica.
  • rešetliak prečisťujúci — results[16].names[19]; taxon id 54811; Rhamnus cathartica.
  • harilik türnpuu — results[16].names[20]; taxon id 54811; Rhamnus cathartica.
  • 药鼠李 — results[16].names[21]; taxon id 54811; Rhamnus cathartica.
  • getapel — results[16].names[22]; taxon id 54811; Rhamnus cathartica.
  • vägtorn — results[16].names[23]; taxon id 54811; Rhamnus cathartica.
  • Pasjakovina — results[16].names[24]; taxon id 54811; Rhamnus cathartica.
  • Obična krkavina — results[16].names[25]; taxon id 54811; Rhamnus cathartica.
  • Pasja krkavina — results[16].names[26]; taxon id 54811; Rhamnus cathartica.
  • Trnovita krkavina — results[16].names[27]; taxon id 54811; Rhamnus cathartica.
  • Pasji trn — results[16].names[28]; taxon id 54811; Rhamnus cathartica.
  • Pasdrijen — results[16].names[29]; taxon id 54811; Rhamnus cathartica.
  • 藥鼠李 — results[16].names[30]; taxon id 54811; Rhamnus cathartica.
  • akdiken — results[16].names[31]; taxon id 54811; Rhamnus cathartica.
  • cehri — results[16].names[32]; taxon id 54811; Rhamnus cathartica.
  • Dräidar — results[16].names[33]; taxon id 54811; Rhamnus cathartica.
  • Жасцёр слабіцельны, ці Жыстярына — results[16].names[35]; taxon id 54811; Rhamnus cathartica.
  • Жостір проносний — results[16].names[36]; taxon id 54811; Rhamnus cathartica.
  • čistilna kozja češnja — results[16].names[38]; taxon id 54811; Rhamnus cathartica.
  • Varjútövis — results[16].names[41]; taxon id 54811; Rhamnus cathartica.
  • varjútövis-benge — results[16].names[42]; taxon id 54811; Rhamnus cathartica.
  • Крушина слабительная — results[16].names[43]; taxon id 54811; Rhamnus cathartica.
  • Espina-cervina — results[16].names[45]; taxon id 54811; Rhamnus cathartica.
[4] Rhamnus cathartica — Plant Toolbox common names ↗

NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox; English common names in a United States horticultural reference.

Source records
  • Common Buckthorn — ul#common_names > li:nth-of-type(1); heading: Common Name(s):; Rhamnus cathartica.
  • European Buckthorn — ul#common_names > li:nth-of-type(2); heading: Common Name(s):; Rhamnus cathartica.
  • Purging Buckthorn — ul#common_names > li:nth-of-type(3); heading: Common Name(s):; Rhamnus cathartica.
[5] Royal Horticultural Society — common names ↗

Names retained from the referenced botanical profile or table.

Source records
  • purging buckthorn — Page 2, column 2, row top 532 pt; common-name cell after Rhamnus cathartica.; Rhamnus cathartica.
Plant references

Source-backed information

Published observations for this plant. Each reference supports the information beside it.

Taxonomy
Rhamnus cathartica is an accepted species in Catalogue of Life.

Taxonomic treatment in the August 2026 release; the catalogue record name is preserved.

Sources [1]
Botanical family
Rhamnaceae

Family in the cited taxonomic treatment.

Sources [1]
Mature height
5.49–9.14 m

NC State Extension profile. Converted from the source range in feet and inches; mature size varies with growing conditions.

Sources [2]
Mature spread
4.57–6.1 m

NC State Extension profile. Converted from the source range in feet and inches; mature size varies with growing conditions.

Sources [2]
Plant habit
Erect; Multi-stemmed; Multi-trunked; Rounded

NC State Extension profile.

Sources [2]
Growth rate
Rapid

NC State Extension profile.

Sources [2]
Foliage
Deciduous

NC State Extension profile.

Sources [2]
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 State Extension profile.

Sources [2]
Moisture and drainage
Good Drainage; Moist; Occasionally Dry; Occasionally Wet

NC State Extension profile.

Sources [2]
Soil texture
Clay; Loam (Silt); Sand

NC State Extension profile.

Sources [2]
Soil pH
Alkaline (>8.0); Neutral (6.0-8.0)

NC State Extension profile. These source categories do not certify the catalogue’s numeric pH interval.

Sources [2]
Flowering season
Spring

NC State Extension profile. Seasons reflect the source region and do not verify the catalogue’s exact flowering months.

Sources [2]
Native range
Europe to Western Siberia and North West China and NW. Africa

NC State Extension profile. Origin reported by the source; this is not a claim of local nativeness.

Sources [2]
Pollinator guidance
RHS includes Rhamnus cathartica in its Plants for Pollinators guidance.

RHS planting guidance. Choose accessible flowers with pollen and nectar; reduced-resource and double-flowered forms may be unsuitable.

Sources [3]
Catalogue ratings

Who this plant supports

Honey bees

High suitability
Nectar value High
Pollen value High
Plant profile

About this plant

Buckthorn (Rhamnus cathartica) is a shrub. It flowers from May to June.

Sources and references

References for the information marked with source numbers on this page.

Sources checked
  1. Catalogue of Life Rhamnus cathartica — Catalogue of Life COL26.8

    COL26.8 (2026-08-20). Contributing checklist: Synonymic Checklists of the Vascular Plants of the World. This is taxonomic evidence, not an independent ecological study.

    Supports: TaxonomyBotanical family
    Relevant sections
    • Taxonomy: NameUsage.tsv line 1126303; ID 4RZYQ; rank species; status accepted
    • Botanical family: NameUsage.tsv line 1126303; ID 4RZYQ; rank species; status accepted

    Source checked on .

    Source data licence: CC BY 4.0.

  2. NC State Extension Rhamnus cathartica — Plant Toolbox

    NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox. Growing conditions and seasons reflect its United States horticultural context.

    Supports: Mature heightMature spreadPlant habitGrowth rateFoliageLightMoisture and drainageSoil textureSoil pHFlowering seasonNative range
    Relevant sections
    • Mature height: Dimensions / Height
    • Mature spread: Dimensions / Width
    • Plant habit: Habit/Form
    • Growth rate: Growth Rate
    • Foliage: Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics
    • Light: Light
    • Moisture and drainage: Soil Drainage
    • Soil texture: Soil Texture
    • Soil pH: Soil pH
    • Flowering season: Flower Bloom Time
    • Native range: Country Or Region Of Origin

    Source checked on .

  3. Royal Horticultural Society RHS Plants for Pollinators — Wildflowers

    RHS planting guidance; applicable flower-form restrictions are retained. General recommendations do not measure local nectar or pollen production.

    Supports: Pollinator guidance
    Relevant sections
    • Pollinator guidance: Page 2, column 2, entry Rhamnus cathartica (top 532 pt)

    Source checked on .