Alder buckthorn

Frangula alnus

Layer 3 · Shrubs
Attracts pollinators

Status by region

No restrictions recorded in the lists we checked.

Checked against the European Union list (Regulation 1143/2014) · Portugal's national invasive species list (Decreto-Lei 92/2019).

Information based on the cited sources, not legal advice — always confirm your local rules.

About

Deciduous shrub of cool areas, whose discreet flowering is widely visited by bees over several weeks. In a food forest, it occupies the shrub layer in damp and shaded locations, serving as a host plant for butterflies. It is not edible for humans.

See which trees alder buckthorn grows well with

These trees share this species' soil and climate — the pairing is inferred from conditions, not from a guild we have already seen.

No account needed.

Needs

Water: Medium
Light: Partial shade
Size: Deciduous shrub up to 5 m
Mature diameter: 3 m
Soils: Clay, Loam, Sandy
Climates: Atlantic coast, Inland / Continental, Hot, dry Mediterranean

Calendar

January — Planting
February — Planting
March
April
May — Harvest
June — Harvest
July — Harvest
August
September
October
November — Planting
December — Planting

Harvest
Planting

Medicinal use: The dried bark, strictly aged for at least one year, is traditionally used in the preparation of infusions with a strong laxative and purgative action.

Where to buy

Central trees worth considering

May work well together — same soil and climate, complementary layers. We have not seen this combination in a generated guild yet.

May grow well with

Suggestions worked out from growing conditions — same soil and climate, complementary layers and functions. These are not observed guilds; treat them as a starting point to try on your own land.