Purging cross thorn

The Purgier's buckthorn (Rhamnus cathartica, Rhamnus catharticus L.) is a plant species from the buckthorn family (Rhamnaceae). It is native to Eurasia and North Africa and is an invasive plant in North America, for example.

The Purgier buckthorn grows as a sparse, deciduous shrub and reaches growth heights of 3 meters or as a small tree up to 6 meters, as such it can also reach an age of about 100 years. The bark of the buckthorn is smooth and only shows some cracks when it is old. It has thorns, which have given it its German name. The foliage leaves, which are arranged approximately opposite each other, are 3 to 7 centimetres long.

The flowering period is from May to June. The inconspicuous, green flowers are radially symmetrical and four-toothed. The stone fruits, which are spherical with a diameter of 0.6 to 0.8 cm and black-violet when ripe, contain three to four triangular stone seeds.

Rhamnus cathartica is the parent plant of Rhamni cathartici fructus