Oregon Urban Tree Catalog

Frangula purshiana CASCARA BUCKTHORN

BROADLEAF

EVERGREEN

FULL SUN

NATIVE

HIGH DROUGHT TOLERANCE

H: 25FT W: 30FT

Cascara buckthorn, also known as cascara sagrada or chittem stick, is a shrub or small tree native to western North America. Its glossy, oval leaves turn yellow in fall, and clusters of small greenish-yellow flowers bloom in spring, giving way to red-to- dark-purple drupes that provide food for birds and mammals. The bark, traditionally used as a natural laxative, is intensely bitter and peels easily in spring or early summer. Shade-tolerant and resilient, cascara thrives along streamsides and in mixed forests, forming brushy stands that offer wildlife shelter while helping prevent soil erosion.

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