glossy buckthorn Rhamnaceae Frangula alnus Mill.   symbol: FRAL4
	Leaf: Alternate, simple, elliptical to oblong or obovate, 2 to 4 inches long, entire, veins are parallel but near edges of leaf turn and follow the edge, shiny green above, may be pale pubescent beneath, petiole short and pubescent. Flower: Very small and inconspicuous, pale yellow-green, bell-shaped, appearing in leaf axils in late spring after the leaves. Fruit: A small (1/4 inch) round drupe at first red but later turning black, juicy flesh, ripens in late summer. Twig: Slender, reddish brown with gray pubescence; buds naked and tan with fuzz; 3 bundle scars, lacking thorns. Bark: Smooth gray-brown with a few obvious slightly raised lenticels, may become shallowly fissured on larger stems. Form: Upright shrub or small tree (to 20 feet) with a spreading, open crown.
	USDA Plants Database Frangula alnus is planted in the highlighted USDA hardiness zones to the left and may seed into the landscape. See a map of the states in which glossy buckthorn has escaped (opens a new window).