About Frangula caroliniana (Walter) A.Gray
Frangula caroliniana, commonly called Carolina buckthorn, usually grows between 12 and 15 feet (3.7 to 4.6 meters) tall, but it can reach up to 40 feet (12 meters) when growing in shaded locations. Its most noticeable feature is its shiny, dark green leaves. The plant produces very small, inconspicuous, pale yellow-green bell-shaped flowers that grow in leaf axils. These flowers emerge in late spring, after the plant has developed its leaves. Its fruit is a small round drupe, measuring 1/3 inch (8.3 mm) across. The fruit starts out red, then turns black when mature, and has juicy flesh. It ripens in late summer. Contrary to what its common name buckthorn suggests, Frangula caroliniana is completely thornless. In its ecology and uses, wildlife including songbirds feed on this plant's fruits, and the fruits are reported to have medicinal uses.
