Frangula alnus Mill.
Alder Buckthorn
Alder buckthorn is a tall deciduous shrub known for its non-spiny nature. It grows up to 7 meters tall and has dark blackish-brown bark with bright lemon-yellow inner bark. The leaves are ovate, arranged alternately on 8–15-millimeter petioles, and have prominent veins. The flowers are small, star-shaped with greenish-white acute triangular petals, and bloom in clusters of two to ten in the leaf axils from May to June. The fruit is a small black berry containing two or three seeds, ripening from green to dark purple or black in early autumn.
Details
Rosales
Rhamnaceae
Frangula
The bark of alder buckthorn contains 3–7% anthraquinone, which gives it laxative properties. The bark is dried and stored for a year before use to reduce its purgative effects.
Alder buckthorn is valued for its conservation benefits, particularly in attracting brimstone butterflies. Medicinally, the bark (and to a lesser extent the fruit) is used as a laxative. The wood is prized for making gunpowder due to its even burn rate and has been used for shoe lasts, nails, veneer. The bark yields a yellow dye, and the unripe berries furnish a green dye.
May to June
3–6 meters (occasionally up to 7 meters)
Greenish-white
Alder buckthorn thrives in wet soils in open woods, scrub, hedgerows, and bogs. It prefers acidic soils but can also grow on neutral soils. It is native to Europe, northernmost Africa, and western Asia.
Info
Pannon Flora Ltd. was founded on December 13, 1999, by Gábor Janik, who retains 95% ownership. Janik holds an MSc in Horticulture from the University of Horticultural Sciences (1986) and an Advanced Professional English Certification from the College of International Trade (1990). The company specializes in bird feed production and export, primarily serving markets in Italy, Germany, the Netherlands, and the UK, alongside cultivating and distributing imported/exported horticultural seeds. It maintains exclusive partnerships with JOEUN Seed (South Korea) and Takii Europe (Japan), a leader in professional seed breeding and production. Pannon Flora collaborates with certification bodies such as NÉBIH (National Food Chain Safety Office), MERT Kontroll, and SGS Hungary to ensure compliance and quality. The company works with approximately 400 Hungarian growers, ranging from small-scale producers (under 5 hectares) to mid-sized farms and large-scale agricultural enterprises. This profile emphasizes agribusiness expertise, technical partnerships, and operational scalability tailored to international client needs.
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