{"product_id":"carolina-buckthorn-frangula-caroliniana","title":"Carolina Buckthorn (Frangula caroliniana)","description":"\u003ch2\u003eCarolina Buckthorn \u003cem\u003e(Frangula caroliniana)\u003c\/em\u003e\n\u003c\/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eCarolina Buckthorn is one of the South's most underappreciated native shrub-trees — a graceful, multi-stemmed small tree of the woodland understory whose berries ripen in a spectacular sequence of red, then black, often with both colors present on the same branch simultaneously. It is a plant of quiet elegance and extraordinary wildlife value, perfectly suited to the dappled shade of the Louisiana bayou woodland garden.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch3\u003eBotanical Profile\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eFamily:\u003c\/strong\u003e Rhamnaceae (Buckthorn family)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eNative Range:\u003c\/strong\u003e Southeastern United States from Virginia to Florida and west to Texas; native to Louisiana's moist woodland understories, bayou edges, and limestone bluffs\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eUSDA Hardiness Zones:\u003c\/strong\u003e 5–9\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eMature Size:\u003c\/strong\u003e 10–15 feet tall (large shrub to small tree)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eBloom Time:\u003c\/strong\u003e April–June (small white flowers); berries ripen July–October, transitioning red to black\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSun:\u003c\/strong\u003e Part shade to full shade\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSoil:\u003c\/strong\u003e Moist, well-drained; tolerates clay and alkaline conditions; adaptable to woodland understory\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\u003ch3\u003eEcological Role\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cp\u003eCarolina Buckthorn's berries — ripening in a simultaneous display of red and black — are consumed by over 20 bird species including Eastern Bluebirds, American Robins, Cedar Waxwings, and migratory thrushes. It is a host plant for the Zabulon Skipper and Gray Hairstreak butterflies. Its shade tolerance makes it an ideal understory companion to the large canopy oaks and maples, filling the middle layer of the woodland garden with structure, berries, and wildlife value.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch3\u003eCultural Heritage\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cp\u003eBuckthorn species have a long history in folk medicine across cultures — their bark used as a laxative and purgative in both European and Indigenous traditions. Carolina Buckthorn's bark was used medicinally by Indigenous peoples of the Southeast, and its berries were noted as a wildlife food source in early Cajun natural history. Its simultaneous red-and-black berry display made it a distinctive landmark in the Louisiana woodland.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch3\u003eIn the Living Canopy \u0026amp; Understory\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cp\u003ePart of the \u003cem\u003eJardin — The Living Canopy \u0026amp; Understory\u003c\/em\u003e collection at Big Mamou Enterprises, Carolina Buckthorn is the woodland garden's quiet jewel — shade-tolerant, berry-rich, and alive with birds through summer and fall.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Big Mamou Enterprises","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":49766039126256,"sku":null,"price":24.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0824\/7171\/5056\/files\/image_49a08398-666c-48a5-a18e-de4d7952b69f.png?v=1779824077","url":"https:\/\/realtimecajun.com\/products\/carolina-buckthorn-frangula-caroliniana","provider":"Big Mamou Enterprises","version":"1.0","type":"link"}