Buckthorn? - Ask Extension
Can you help me confirm this is buckthorn? Everything is telling me it is except the ends don't look like hooves. I'd like to add that this tree is i...
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Buckthorn? #870276
Asked May 27, 2024, 1:54 PM EDT
Can you help me confirm this is buckthorn? Everything is telling me it is except the ends don't look like hooves. I'd like to add that this tree is in a very deliberate place in the corner of our yard with no other buckthorny looking stuff around it. The previous owner had a gardener. This makes me question if it is buckthorn but all signs point to yes! If it is buckthorn my plan it's to lop off the top about three feet from the ground, cut anything that grows from it the next couple years and then when the roots have died back pull it out of the ground. Or is there a better method? Last question- what would you suggest I plant in it's place? It's the perfect spot of a tree so hoping to get something in there this fall.
Hennepin County Minnesota
Expert Response
Yes, it does look like Buckthorn. Perhaps you have also noticed that it still has green leaves in late fall when others have fallen. https://extension.umn.edu/identify-invasive-species/common-buckthorn You should cut it down but lower than 3'. I don't know where you found that height. You can cut it down within a few inches of the ground. Then use the chemical painted on treatment described below.
Following a cut stump treatment with brush herbicide can be effective for larger-diameter buckthorn stems. Herbicides containing glyphosate or triclopyr are recommended for buckthorn control. Apply the herbicide on the stump with a paintbrush, dauber, or low volume sprayer by covering
an inch in from the edge of the outer bark. The center of the stump does not need to be treated. Glyphosate is a non-selective herbicide, while triclopyr has a water- or oil-based formulation. The oil-based formulation works well for cut stump treatments.
Herbicide can also be applied directly to the bark using a basal bark treatment. This treatment works well for trees up to 5 inches in diameter. From the ground level up to 18 inches above the ground, wet the area with a low-volume sprayer. Foliar applications are effective for smaller buckthorn plants. Spray
buckthorn leaves until wet. The water-based formulation of triclopyr works well for foliar applications.
Follow label directions when using herbicides, wear recommended protective clothing, and avoid contact with non-target plants.
I would suggest you wait until the buckthorn is dead and out of the ground. Then check the label on whatever you used to make sure it is safe to replant. Then check with your locally owned garden center to see what is available in your area. Make sure to check the mature size, both height and width, before planting.
Following a cut stump treatment with brush herbicide can be effective for larger-diameter buckthorn stems. Herbicides containing glyphosate or triclopyr are recommended for buckthorn control. Apply the herbicide on the stump with a paintbrush, dauber, or low volume sprayer by covering
an inch in from the edge of the outer bark. The center of the stump does not need to be treated. Glyphosate is a non-selective herbicide, while triclopyr has a water- or oil-based formulation. The oil-based formulation works well for cut stump treatments.
Herbicide can also be applied directly to the bark using a basal bark treatment. This treatment works well for trees up to 5 inches in diameter. From the ground level up to 18 inches above the ground, wet the area with a low-volume sprayer. Foliar applications are effective for smaller buckthorn plants. Spray
buckthorn leaves until wet. The water-based formulation of triclopyr works well for foliar applications.
Follow label directions when using herbicides, wear recommended protective clothing, and avoid contact with non-target plants.
I would suggest you wait until the buckthorn is dead and out of the ground. Then check the label on whatever you used to make sure it is safe to replant. Then check with your locally owned garden center to see what is available in your area. Make sure to check the mature size, both height and width, before planting.
