Caucasian Buckthorn

A striking, bold-foliaged deciduous shrub prized for its architectural leaf structure and late-season character, Rhamnus imeretina adds bold texture to woodland borders. Native to the Caucasus and Western Asia, it features exceptionally large, glossy green leaves up to 30cm long with deeply impressed parallel veins. In Summer, small yellowish-green flowers bloom inconspicuously along the stems, yielding small black fruits by late season. As temperatures cool in Autumn, the heavily ribbed foliage displays a mottled pattern, yellowing around the margins with warm tawny-brown, bronze, and dusky purplish shading between the ribs before leaf fall. Forming a sturdy, open-branched habit, it makes a distinctive foliage accent in sheltered gardens.

Site: Needs some shelter, especially from harsh North-Easterly winds
Position: Full sun, dappled shade
Soil: Moist, fertile, well-drained soil; prefers humus-rich loam that does not dry out in Summer
Seasons of interest: Handsome deeply-ribbed Summer leaves and dramatic bronze-purple Autumn foliage
Hardiness: Fully hardy
Height: Height: 8-10ft (2.5-3m) Spread: 8-10ft (2.5-3m)

Image 1 & 3 by peganum cropped and licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0
Image 2 by Krzysztof Ziarnek, Kenraiz cropped and licensed under CC-BY-SA-4.0