SimplePlant

Rhamnaceae

Alder buckthorn

Frangula alnus Mill.

Family
Rhamnaceae
Genus
Frangula

Pet and kid safety: not checked yet. Check pet-safe plants

Alder buckthorn (Frangula alnus)
FlowerPhoto: magnaturalist, CC BY 4.0, from iNaturalist

Is yours looking unwell? Scan your plant — free

Common names

By language (58)
Arabic
فرانغولا ألنوس, سدر, جلهم, عوسج أسود, نبق أسود, العناب, شجرة حب الثوم
Armenian
Բեկտենի լաստենատերև
arz
فرانجولا النوس
Asturian
Sangüeñu, Zangoñal, Zangoñu, Zangüeñu
Azerbaijani
Qızılağacabənzər mürdəşər
ba
Этмуйыл
Basque
Oilakaran, Zumalakar
Belarusian
Крушына ломкая
Bulgarian
Елшовиден зърнастец
Catalan
Fràngula
Chinese
欧鼠李, 药炭鼠李, 药绿柴, 欧鼠李（弗朗鼠李树）
Croatian
Trušljika
csb
Wôłczô wisznia
cv
Йыт çĕмĕрчĕ
Czech
Krušina olšová
Danish
Almindelig Tørst, Tørst, Tørstetræ
dsb
Psowic
Dutch
Sporkehout, Sporkenhout, Sprakel, Vuilboom
English
Alder buckthorn, Glossy buckthorn
Esperanto
Frangolo
Estonian
Harilik paakspuu, Kitsepaats, Mõruuibu, Ohupaats, Paakspuu, Pahaspuu
Finnish
Korpipaatsama, Paatsama
French
Bourdaine
Galician
Sanguiño
Georgian
Ხეჭრელი
German
Faulbaum, Echter Faulbaum, Faulbeerbaum, Faulholz, Gemeiner Faulbaum, Gewöhnlicher Faulbaum, Pulverholz, Scheißbeere
glk
توسه
hsb
Wšědna psowodźina
Hungarian
Közönséges kutyabenge
Irish
Draighean fearna
Italian
Frangola
Kazakh
Сынғақ итшомырт
Latvian
Trauslais krūklis, Parastais krūklis
Lithuanian
Paprastasis šaltekšnis
Macedonian
Крушина
mzn
سیاه توسکا
nds
Vuulboom
Norwegian Bokmål
Trollhegg
pcd
Nòrtë-finme, Bordin·ne, Brindca, Bò-puhant, Bò`d nòrtë-finme, Coqhin·ne, Nòrbò, Nòrépin·ne
Persian
سیاه توسه
Polish
Kruszyna pospolita
Portuguese
Sanguinho-das-ribeiras
Romanian
Crușin, Cruşin
Russian
Крушина ломкая, Жостер ломкий, Жостёр ломкий, Крушина ольховидная, Крушинник
se
Botnjemiestta
Serbian
Крушина
sgs
Skirpstos
Slovak
Krušina jelšová
Slovenian
Navadna krhlika
smn
Ponjemiestâ
Spanish
Arraclán, Alno baccifero, Avellanito, Avellano bravio, Avellano bravío, Frangula, Frángula, Gedeondo
stq
Fuulbäie, Huundestok
Swedish
Brakved, Brake, Brågon, Gulbark, Tröske
Tatar
Сынгак эт шомырты
Turkish
Barut ağacı, Barutağacı, Erkek ak diken, Erkek akdiken
Ukrainian
Крушина ламка, Жостір ламкий, Крушина вільховидна
vep
Pagač
Welsh
Breuwydden

Synonyms

  • Frangula alnus f. angustifolia W.R.Franz
  • Frangula alnus subsp. saxatilis Gančev
  • Frangula alnus subsp. sphagnicola A.P.Khokhr.
  • Frangula alnus var. angustifolia (Loudon) Mohlenbr.
  • Frangula alnus var. elliptica Meinhardt
  • Frangula alnus var. prostrata P.D.Sell
  • Frangula atlantica Grubov
  • Frangula dodonei Ard. ex Soldano
  • Frangula frangula H.Karst.
  • Frangula nigra Samp.
  • Frangula pentapetala Gilib.
  • Frangula sanguinea (Pers.) Peterm.
  • Frangula vulgaris Hill
  • Frangula vulgaris var. parvifolia Beck
  • Frangula vulgaris var. subrotunda (Rouy & Foucaud) Beck
  • Girtanneria frangula Neck.
  • Rhamnus alnoides Gray
  • Rhamnus autumnalis Gand.
  • Rhamnus frangula L.
  • Rhamnus frangula var. subrotunda Rouy & Foucaud
  • Rhamnus nemoralis Salisb.
  • Rhamnus sanguinea Pers.
  • Rhamnus sanguino Ortega
  • Rhamnus undulata Simonk.

Flowers

In flower
May to July (from 2,125 flowering iNaturalist observations worldwide)

Characteristics

Growth habit
Shrub, Tree
Lifespan
Perennial
In the US and Canada
Canada: introduced, Lower 48 states: introduced

Photos

More in Frangula

Sources: classification, synonyms from World Flora Online Plant List (2026-06, CC0 1.0); common names, popularity from Wikidata (2026-10-26, CC0 1.0); common names, US characteristics from USDA PLANTS Database (2025-05-29, CC0 1.0). About our plant data.