Buckthorn bully is a native evergreen to deciduous shrub or small tree. It is found in the southeast and west to TX. It tends to grow in moist areas along streams and ponds. It is evergreen in warm winter areas and deciduous further north. This tree will grow up to 20 feet tall and produce clusters of tiny white flowers in the late spring to early summer. The fruit matures to purplish black in the fall and is edible but usually the birds or squirrels will get them first. Deer will browse the twigs. The leaves and stems will exude a milky sap when broken. Thorns are present on the stems. This tree prefers well-drained moist sandy loams in full sun to partial shade. It isn't usually grown in the home landscape but could certainly be planted in a native naturalized area. Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems: No significant problems
Curated pairwise relationships between this plant and others in the library — who feeds
whom, who competes, who confuses the pests. Green reads as a good pairing, red as one to avoid.
No curated interactions recorded for this species yet.
Also noted by NC State
Related species the NC State Plant Toolbox flags for this plant — look-alikes to tell
apart, and plants that play a similar role in a planting. Ones we carry in the library are linked.
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
Soil texture
Loam (Silt); Sand
Soil drainage
Good Drainage | Moist | Occasionally Dry
NC region
Coastal; Piedmont
Growth rate
Rapid
Canopy layer
2 - Understory
Form & Appearance
Habit / form
Erect; Rounded
Texture
Medium
Foliage
Deciduous
Leaf color
Black; Gold/Yellow
Leaf type
Simple
Leaf arrangement
Alternate
Leaf shape
Elliptical; Obovate; Ovate
Leaf margin
Entire
Leaf feel
Smooth
Leaf size
3-6 inches long, 1-3 inches wide
Hairs present
Yes
Leaf detail
Shiny green leaves above and paler with a few hairs below on young leaves, up to 6 inches long. Often clustered near the ends of branches. Wedge-shaped at base and tip often pointed, margins entire, exude a milky sap when crushed.
Flower color
White
Flower form
Insignificant
Flower size
< 1 inch
Flower detail
Tiny white flowers in clusters with 5 petals in late spring to early summer.
Bloom time
Spring; Summer
Fruit color
Black; Purple/Lavender; Red/Burgundy
Fruit type
Berry
Fruit value
Edible
Fruit size
< 1 inch long, < 1 inch wide
Fruit detail
1/2-inch long oval berries are red maturing to purplish black
Bark color
Dark Brown; Light Brown
Bark detail
Bark is smooth on young trees and becomes scaly and shedding as the tree matures to revel a red inner bark
Stem color
Brown/Copper
Stem detail
Brown stems with a 1-inch thorn at each leaf scar. Exudes a milky sap when broken.
Wildlife & Ecology
Native status
Native
Origin
Southern Illinois to SE. U.S.A
Distribution
AL , AR , DE , FL , GA , IL , IN , KY , LA , MD , MO , MS , NC , SC , TN , TX , VA , WV
Play value
Attracts Pollinators; Wildlife Food Source
Food & Medicine
Edible parts
Fruit
Harvest time
Fall
Fruit type
Berry
Edibility
Fruits can be eaten and used for jams and jellies.
Landscape Use
Landscape location
Naturalized Area; Woodland
Landscape theme
Native Garden
Design feature
Flowering Tree
Garden tags
#deciduous #native tree #white flowers #drought tolerant #edible garden #NC native #full sun tolerant #showy fruits