Carolina Buckthorn
Frangula carolinianaCarolina Buckthorn is a small tree native to the Texas Hill Country that grows 12–20 ft tall and 10–15 ft wide. It wants full sun or part shade and low water, and handles clay soil. Blooms yellow in late spring. Good for birds and butterflies.
Will it grow in your yard?
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From our guide
Village of the HillsSmall tree with glossy leaves and fruit that ripens red then black.
Why it works here
Excellent bird tree for part shade, with good yellow fall color and a clean upright habit.
Watch out
Wants some shade and a bit more moisture than a limestone slope provides. Fruit is mildly toxic to people.
The facts
7 sources- Type
- Small tree
- Sun
- Full sun to part shade (3+ hrs)
- Water
- Low
- Height
- 12–20 ft
- Spread
- 10–15 ft
- Bloom
- Late Spring · yellow
- Foliage
- Deciduous
- Soil
- Takes clay · recorded on calcareous, clay, loam, moist, rocky, sand, well drained
- Deer
- Low — deer eat it; cage or plant where they cannot reach. Browsed readily. Needs protection in a deer yard.
- Wildlife
- Supports birds and butterflies
Where it grows
Recorded in these EPA Level IV ecoregions in the Austin and Hill Country launch area:
1,053 occurrence records in Central Texas (GBIF).
Can you buy it?
In the Village of the Hills guide, but not on the grower stock lists we read yet. Ask a native-plant nursery.
also grows from seed It starts readily from seed, so a packet from a native-seed supplier, or seed collected with permission, is often the easiest way to get a plant no nursery pots.