Easily-confused! |
If your specimen is a: | and has stem/leaf arrangement: | and the leaves have/are: | and the bark is/has: | and the twigs: | and the fruit (if present): | | then you have: |
| | | | | | | |
tree | ╫ opposite
(most species)
| — smooth, ♦ taper at both ends, and pass the dogwood leaf test
| no conspicuous lenticels
nor strong colors
| — | —
| | lookalike
dogwood genus Cornus
|
sub-opposite
| small ▲▲ teeth
| dark, lots of light-colored lenticels
inner bark=orange (scrape with knife)
| often have a
terminal thorn
| are small, black, taste disgusting after a few seconds — spit it out
| | lookalike
common buckthorn Rhamnus cathartica
|
╟ alternate
| — smooth or very small ▲▲ teeth (use 🔎︎ hand-lens)
| dark, lots of light-colored lenticels
| no
terminal thorn
; hairy
| —
| | lookalike
glossy buckthorn Frangula alnus
|
no more than waist-high (<1 m) (<3 ft)
| ▲▲ teeth
| —
| no hair
| —
| | lookalike
alderleaf buckthorn Rhamnus alnifolia
|
tree
| ▲▲ teeth, visible within arm's length
| dark, lots of light-colored lenticels
if mature, looks covered with burnt potato chips/crisps
| — | are small, black, taste like 🍒︎ cherry even if sour
| | this plant, please
continue below …
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