U-of-M Research Project Reveals New Information on Buckthorn

MINNEAPOLIS/ST. PAUL -- A University of Minnesota research team has found that some long-held beliefs about Buckthorn are not true and this new information should help fight off the invasive species.

Mike Schuster is the lead author of a recently published article in the Biological Invasions journal. He says previous management strategies have focused on targeting larger stems with smaller Buckthorn ignored.

The belief was that the seeds could last up to six years in the soil. But, Schuster says they've found that 97% of the Buckthorn seeds will germinate in the first year.

It means the management practices can include the smaller plants that create dense mats and choke off native plants.

Get our free mobile app

The best time to cut, uproot or chemically treat Buckthorn is in late October and November when its dark green leaves are easily visible against the fall landscape.

For more information, check out the U-of-M's Buckthorn research website.