The Accidental Smallholder Forum

Growing => Identification => Topic started by: Penninehillbilly on October 15, 2012, 12:56:23 pm

Title: Shrub ID please?
Post by: Penninehillbilly on October 15, 2012, 12:56:23 pm

Hi
I hope someone can ID the tree/ shrub by this image.
I'm not sure if it's a tree gone multi stemmed or a very tall bush, must be about 12ft from memory (it's across the field)
red berry is about 6mm, leaves or 40-50mm long
it had some very small flowers on (end of Sept) - could be out of season?
 
I do have lots of books but they are all stacked in boxes for a couple ofmonths  :(
 
Main concern is poisonous to goats? and possibly need trimming down, we must have planted it, but can't remember putting anything unusual in.

Title: Re: Shrub ID please?
Post by: Mel on October 16, 2012, 07:53:10 pm

Is it just with the one berry or are there bunches of them? I was thinking Cotoneaster?

Title: Re: Shrub ID please?
Post by: Penninehillbilly on October 16, 2012, 09:18:28 pm

Thanks for replying, It just seems to have the occasional berry, but there are tiny flowers which seem to be in clumps, I don't think it's a cotoneaster flower.
 
Just had another look, the flowers are 2 x single, in the final leaf axil(sp?)

Title: Re: Shrub ID please?
Post by: kja on October 17, 2012, 09:02:25 am

is it a evergreen ? rule of thumb to edge on caution most evergreens are poisonous

Title: Re: Shrub ID please?
Post by: ddangus on October 17, 2012, 12:21:54 pm

Pretty sure it is alder buckthorn ( Rhamnus frangula)

There is also buckthorn (Rhamnus cathartica but this looks slightly different and has glossy leaves. It is not an evergreen so the leaves should turn yellow.
It is poisonous to livestock  if eaten in large quantitites so better keep the goats away from it.
See information on website below.
http://www.goatworld.com/health/plants/alderbuckthorn.shtml (http://www.goatworld.com/health/plants/alderbuckthorn.shtml)

Regards,

dd

Title: Re: Shrub ID please?
Post by: Penninehillbilly on October 18, 2012, 11:27:46 am

Yes that looks like it, still don't remember planting it, wouldn't have planted anything poisonous, but we have had a lot of trees planted by a environmental group, maybe a rogue plant got mixed in with ours - it needs to come out, I'll cut it down and 'try' and move it, the branches will overhang where the goats graze occasionally.
Oh heck - that's another job for the list  ::)

Title: Re: Shrub ID please?
Post by: ddangus on October 18, 2012, 01:32:53 pm

Hi PH

Alder buckthorn is know as a valuable plant for wildlife so might well have been planted as part of a wildlife encouragment scheme, it is  a food plant (together with the buckthorn) for the brimstone butterfly caterpillars.
I am not sure how toxic it actually is if eaten in moderation. One Canadian report states grazing (probably by cattle) as a possible control method for what is an invasive species in Canada.
Best of luck with another job on the list.


DD