This species is autochthonous across all the south-west counties except Cornwall. Rhamnus cathartica is totally absent as a wild native species within provenance UK305 except for a single natural site in Devon. Otherwise this is a very common species across all the chalk downland and limestone areas in Somerset, Gloucestershire, Wiltshire, and Dorset. Of-course there is nothing stopping you planting this tree in Devon & Cornwall, the tree will grow well enough, but it is most unlikely to self-seed into the wild.
Easily identified as the only tree that has both opposite paired buds and thorns. The leaves have curving veins and a toothed margin. More often a small bush but trees can grow 20 feet tall. A dioecious species with male and female flowers on separate trees. It is named after the laxative effects its berries induce when eaten.
Purging buckthorn is the main food plant of the brimstone butterfly whose caterpillars eat the leaves. Its flowers provide a source of pollen and nectar for bees and other insects, while its dense growth makes it a valuable nesting site for birds.
At Trebrown Nurseries we maintain our own registered seed stands on Trebrown Farm, which remain the only seed stand registered in Cornwall. Rhamnus cathartica is not a FRM controlled species, but is certified under the voluntary FRM scheme.
