Poisonous/Cautions:
Alternate
host for the fungus which causes leaf and crown rust of
oats.
Distribution:
Introduced
as an ornamental shrub. Seeds are widely scattered by birds. Common
in fence rows, pastures, woodland and abandoned areas.
Growth
Habit:
Perennial
Method of
Propagation:
Seeds
Control:
New shoots
readily grow from cut stumps. Cut and chemically treat stumps in
autumn. Control is labour intensive. Tops are usually cut off
manually and then stumps treated with a basal bark or stump
herbicide treatment. Mowing or spraying of small plants can be
successful to maintain control.
Other
Comments:
Alder
buckthorn is part of the same genus but is not an important host of
the oat rust fungus. Crown rust continues to be a significant
disease of oats with various races and the ability to mutate and
make genetic advances short term successes. Single gene resistance
is generally not effective. New gene stacking techniques and newer
cultivar show some promise. Oat acreage is on the decline in
Ontario for a variety of reasons. European buckthorn is very
plentiful in all oat growing areas. Spores can travel for miles.
Eradication programs of the 70's have had only marginal long term
success.
