FAQ
The Answers You Need
What is Buckthorn?
Common/European Buckthorn (Rhamnus Cathartica) is a large shrub/small tree native to Europe, where it is in balance with the environment. Unfortunately, since being introduced to North America, buckthorn has had unfair advantages that cause it to out-compete our native forest plants, which throws off the balance and causes big problems.
Why should I fight the buckthorn?
Do you like flowers? Bees? Berries? Trees? Butterflies? Mosses? Fall colors? Birds? Mushrooms? Wooden things? Food? Everything in nature is in a delicate balance. When there is a disturbance, and certain flowering plants become unavailable to pollinators, the strength of those creatures declines. Since the bees rely on the trees, and the trees rely on the bees, if the pollinators go down, so do the wonderful things that rely on them.
Why hire Ed's Buckthorn Control?
Buckthorn is a clever enemy. Its thorns are painful, it is difficult to uproot, it grows back multiple new stems after being cut, it looks like many native species to the untrained eye, and it needs to be transported legally to a certified drop site.
Ed's Buckthorn Control has years of experience dealing with these factors. Hiring the expert professional saves you from painful injury, frustration, and time spent away from the things you would rather do. Your neighbors will appreciate your choice to stop harboring buckthorn, which is easily spread by bird droppings.
Why is Buckthorn Bad?
Imagine yourself as a tree. You are surrounded by your family and community of other plants and animals, all working together in a peaceful existence. Your life is like a cartoon fairy tale. One day, a clan of ugly, stinking, greedy alien invaders pushes its way into your territory, takes your limited food, water, and sunlight, poisons your environment so you cannot reproduce, kills your relatives and neighbors, and rapidly reproduces into an army of marauders who proceed to overtake the continent. You can do nothing, since you're a tree, and you have not evolved mechanisms to fight this foe. You cannot even cry for help. When buckthorn gets its way, it is the only species left after killing off the native plants, and the animals that depend on them.
How do I know if I have buckthorn?
Check out our Instagram and blog for identification tips, or send us some photos of your questionable plants! Identifying buckthorn is tricky, because it looks so much like many of our desirable native species. Make sure you have a positive ID on all plants before you take action. The safest way to make sure you're keeping the good plants and removing the nasties is to schedule a free consultation. Even if you are the DIY type, we can customize an action plan to your woodlot, and you can hire us to do as much or as little of the work as you like!