Rhamnus utilis aka Chinese Buckthorn

Rhamnus utilis, or Chinese buckthorn, belongs to the buckthorn family, Rhamnaceae. Its native range runs from the Russian Far East to northern Vietnam and Korea. Records also place it across many parts of China. It grows in temperate regions and is not native to Britain or Ireland. In western Hubei, it grows beside roads and in thickets. These sites reach about 5,250 feet [1,600 metres] above sea level.

Plants For A Future describes a deciduous shrub reaching 10 feet [3 metres]. Kew records its form as either a shrub or tree. The supplied sources give no mature spread or larger height. They also give no species-level details of leaf shape or bark texture. Its flowers appear from April through June. Seeds ripen between June and August. Male and female flowers grow on separate plants. Both sexes must be present to produce fruit and seed. A lone plant cannot fertilise itself.

Choose a sunny site with moist soil that drains well. Plants For A Future states that this species cannot grow in shade. It accepts sandy soil, loam, and clay if drainage is sound. It also grows in mildly acid, neutral, and mildly alkaline ground. These needs suit a sunny edge of a woodland garden. The supplied evidence gives no hardiness zone or frost limit. It also provides no species-specific account of pests or diseases.

Bark and leaves provide material for making green dye. Fruit, bark, and leaves also contain a yellow dye substance. Oil from the seeds has a use as a lubricant. These are practical uses rather than evidence of food value. Plants For A Future gives it no food or medicinal rating. It lists no known medicinal use. The evidence does not establish whether this species is poisonous. It therefore does not support treating its fruit or seed oil as food.

Seeds can be sown in a cold frame in autumn. Stored seeds need one to two months of cold treatment before sowing. Young seedlings can then move into separate pots. Keep them under glass or in a cold frame for their first winter. Plant them out in late spring or early summer the next year. Other methods include half-ripe cuttings in July or August. Mature wood cuttings can be taken in autumn. Layering offers another route in early spring.