Carolina buckthorn
Frangula caroliniana · Rhamnaceae
Carolina buckthorn (Frangula caroliniana) is a perennial tree in the Rhamnaceae family. It is native to North America. USDA records it as hardy in zone 4 and warmer, down to about -27°F.
At a glance
| Type | tree Derived |
|---|---|
| Lifecycle | perennial USDA |
| Native status | native USDA |
| Mature height | 20 ft USDA |
| Light | shade USDA |
| Growth rate | moderate USDA |
| Soil pH | 6–7.5 USDA |
| Bloom | May–June USDA |
| Flower color | Yellow USDA |
| Hardiness zones | 4 and warmer USDA |
| Guild layer | understory Derived |
USDA quoted from the USDA PLANTS database · Derived computed by a fixed rule from those columns. No value on this page is estimated.
Growing conditions
It tolerates full shade. Its drought tolerance is rated low. It is recorded on soils from pH 6 to 7.5 — a broad range that spans acidic through mildly alkaline ground. Its cold limit is zone 4.
Size and growth
At maturity it reaches about 20 ft, making it a small tree or large shrub. It grows at a moderate rate.
Bloom period
USDA records a bloom period of May through June. Flowers are yellow.
A flowering date, not a pollinator rating.
Foliage, flower and season
Summer foliage is green, coarse in texture. Its flowers are not conspicuous — a plant for form and foliage. USDA rates its lifespan as short, so plan on replacing or resowing it rather than treating it as permanent structure.
What the site needs to provide
USDA records it across sites receiving 16 to 51 inches of annual precipitation. It needs at least 168 frost-free days to finish its season.
Propagating it
Cuttings is the only propagation method USDA lists. Its seed spreads at a rapid rate.
Resilience and wildlife
Its fire tolerance is rated low. Its growth form is recorded as single crown.
Role in a guild
Understory. In a layered planting this is the layer beneath the canopy, tall enough to hold structure but shaded from above. The layer is derived by a fixed rule from growth habit and mature height.
Tags
Related plants
Others in Frangula
- glossy buckthorn Frangula alnus
- beechleaf frangula Frangula betulifolia
- California buckthorn Frangula californica
- Cascara buckthorn Frangula purshiana
Similar role and hardiness
- pawpaw Asimina triloba
- eastern redbud Cercis canadensis
- roughleaf dogwood Cornus drummondii
- flowering dogwood Cornus florida
- Cornelian cherry Cornus mas
Where this data comes from
Every value on this page comes from the USDA PLANTS database record for symbol FRCA13, or is computed from those values by a fixed rule. Nothing here is estimated or model-generated. Where USDA publishes no value, this page omits the claim rather than filling the gap.
- Quoted from USDA PLANTS: Bloom, Bloom end, cold stratification, Drought tolerance, fall conspicuous, fire tolerance, Flower color, flower conspicuous, foliage color, foliage porosity winter, foliage texture, frost free days min, fruit conspicuous, growth form, Growth rate, Hardiness zones, Lifecycle, lifespan, Light, Mature height, Minimum temperature, Native status, Nitrogen fixation, precipitation max in, precipitation min in, propagation, resprout ability, seed spread rate, Soil pH, Soil pH (upper), Tolerance of wet soil.
- Derived by a fixed rule from those columns: Guild layer, Type.
Read our full data sources and methodology.
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