Rhamnus caroliniana

The first thing people should know about this beautiful small tree is that it doesn’t have thorns. Carolina Buckthorn is one of my favorite native trees for small spaces. It has dark green shiny leaves and produces edible fruit that turns from red to black, but the thing I like most is its versatile form. In full sun it forms a nice dense canopy, and when grown in shade, it is more open and tiered similar to a Dogwood. Sometimes called Indian Cherry, it is a great choice for planting under power lines and has yellow fall leave color. A number of well-known horticulturists agree that it is a shame that this tree is rarely seen in landscapes.