Rhamnus caroliniana
Encyclopedia
Rhamnus caroliniana the Carolina Buckthorn, is an upright shrub or small tree native to the Southeastern United States
. There is a local disjunct population in Mexico as well.
; at first red, but later turning black with juicy flesh. It ripens in late summer.
Despite its common name, the Carolina Buckthorn is completely thornless.
Southeastern United States
The Southeastern United States, colloquially referred to as the Southeast, is the eastern portion of the Southern United States. It is one of the most populous regions in the United States of America....
. There is a local disjunct population in Mexico as well.
Characteristics
Rhamnus caroliniana is usually around 12 to 15 feet high, but capable of reaching 40 feet in a shaded location. The most striking characteristic of this plant are its shiny, dark green leaves. The flowers are very small and inconspicuous, pale yellow-green, bell-shaped, appearing in leaf axils in late spring after the leaves. The fruit is a small (1/3 inch) round drupeDrupe
In botany, a drupe is a fruit in which an outer fleshy part surrounds a shell of hardened endocarp with a seed inside. These fruits develop from a single carpel, and mostly from flowers with superior ovaries...
; at first red, but later turning black with juicy flesh. It ripens in late summer.
Despite its common name, the Carolina Buckthorn is completely thornless.