If you have got dense, thorny shrubs taking over the edges of your yard, choking out your trees, and refusing to die no matter how many times you cut them back, you almost certainly have buckthorn. You are not alone, and it is not going away on its own.
Buckthorn is one of the most aggressive invasive plants in Minnesota, and the communities north of the Twin Cities are some of the hardest-hit areas in the state. John’s Pro Care removes it for good. Not just cut down, but removed and treated so it does not come right back.
Based in Forest Lake, we provide professional buckthorn removal across central Minnesota, from the north metro through Washington, Chisago, and Anoka County and the surrounding communities.
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Property restored after professional buckthorn removal by John's Pro Care.
What Is Buckthorn?
Buckthorn is a non-native, invasive shrub brought to Minnesota from Europe in the 1800s as hedging material. It turned out to be a serious problem and the nursery industry stopped selling it decades ago, but by then it had spread across the state. Today it is found in 68 of Minnesota’s 87 counties and is classified by the state as a Restricted Noxious Weed. It is illegal to import, sell, or transport buckthorn in Minnesota.
There are two common types in our area:
Common (European) Buckthorn
Oval leaves with small rounded teeth and 3 to 5 curved veins. It stays green late into fall, often into November, well after native plants have dropped their leaves. That late-season green is one of the easiest ways to spot it.
Glossy Buckthorn
Egg-shaped leaves with a glossy, waxy look and smooth or wavy edges. It tends to grow in wetter areas and is trickier to identify because its leaves can change color in fall like native plants.
Both grow as large shrubs or small trees, and both spread fast. Female plants produce dark berries that birds eat and scatter across your property and your neighbors’ property. That is how a couple of shrubs become a wall of buckthorn in just a few years.
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Severe buckthorn infestation before removal by John's Pro Care.
Why Buckthorn Is a Problem
Buckthorn is not just unsightly. It actively damages your property and the surrounding environment.
- It chokes out everything around it. Buckthorn leafs out early and drops late, stealing sunlight, water, and nutrients from your trees, shrubs, and grass. Native plants and young trees cannot compete and slowly die off.
- It creates impenetrable thickets. Left alone, buckthorn forms dense walls of thorny growth that make parts of your yard unusable.
- It contributes to erosion and runoff. By shading out the groundcover that holds soil in place, buckthorn-infested areas are prone to bare soil, erosion, and water pollution from runoff.
- It harms wildlife. Buckthorn offers little real food or habitat value and can host pests and crop diseases.
- It spreads relentlessly. Every female plant left standing produces berries that seed new buckthorn across your land and beyond. The longer you wait, the bigger the problem gets.
Why You Cannot Just Cut It Down
This is the part most homeowners learn the hard way. If you simply cut buckthorn off at the base, it does not die. It comes back stronger, sending up multiple new stems from the cut stump. You end up with more buckthorn than you started with.
Killing buckthorn permanently requires treating the stump so it cannot re-sprout, and handling the berries and seeds correctly so you are not just reseeding the problem. That is the difference between a weekend of frustration and a yard that stays clear.
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Buckthorn growing out of control. Time to clean it up!
How John’s Pro Care Removes Buckthorn
We handle the entire process start to finish, so the buckthorn is gone and it stays gone.
1. Assessment
We walk your property, identify the buckthorn, find the berry-producing plants driving the spread, and map out a removal plan based on the size of the infestation.
2. Cutting and Removal
Our crew cuts and clears the buckthorn, including the dense thickets and larger trunks that hand tools cannot handle. We bring the equipment to take on infestations of any size, from a few shrubs to acreage that has been completely overrun.
3. Stump Treatment
This is the step that actually kills it. We treat cut stumps so the buckthorn cannot re-sprout, using effective, targeted methods that minimize impact on the surrounding plants you want to keep.
4. Proper Disposal
Buckthorn berries and seeds have to be handled carefully to avoid spreading the problem. We manage removal and disposal the right way, in line with Minnesota’s noxious weed guidelines.
5. Cleanup and Restoration
Once the buckthorn is gone, you are left with open space that was being strangled before. Because we are a full-service landscaping and hardscape company, we can grade, mulch, and replant those areas with healthy trees, shrubs, or new landscaping so the buckthorn does not simply move back in. Many clients pair buckthorn removal with new plantings, grading, or drainage work to reclaim the space completely.
The Best Time to Remove Buckthorn
Buckthorn can be removed year-round, but fall through early winter is ideal. Once native plants drop their leaves, buckthorn stays green and stands out, making it easy to identify and target without disturbing the plants you want to keep. Fall and early spring removal also gets ahead of the next growing season.
That said, the best time to deal with buckthorn is as soon as you notice it. Every season you wait, it spreads further and the removal gets bigger and more expensive.
Serving Forest Lake and Central Minnesota
John’s Pro Care is based in Forest Lake and provides buckthorn removal across the north metro and central Minnesota. We have cleared buckthorn from wooded lots, lakeshore properties, and acreage throughout the region, including:
- Forest Lake, Hugo, Lino Lakes, and Wyoming
- Chisago City, Lindstrom, North Branch, Stacy, and Center City
- White Bear Lake, Mahtomedi, Stillwater, and Hugo
- Blaine, Ham Lake, Andover, and East Bethel
- Throughout Washington County, Chisago County, and Anoka County
If you are not sure whether we cover your area, just call. Chances are we do.
Frequently Asked Questions About Buckthorn Removal
The easiest tell is timing. Buckthorn stays green late into fall, often into November, after most native plants have dropped their leaves. Look for large shrubs or small trees with oval, finely toothed leaves and dark blue-black berries on the female plants. If you have dense, thorny growth taking over the edges of your yard that keeps coming back, it is very likely buckthorn. We can confirm it during a free assessment.
Cutting buckthorn at the base does not kill it. The stump re-sprouts with multiple new stems and you end up with more buckthorn than you started with. Permanent removal requires treating the stump so it cannot regrow, plus handling the berries and seeds correctly so you are not reseeding the problem.
Buckthorn is classified as a Restricted Noxious Weed in Minnesota. It is illegal to import, sell, or transport it. While you are not required to remove existing buckthorn from your property, removing it protects your land and stops it from spreading to your neighbors.
Fall through early winter is ideal because buckthorn is easy to identify when everything else has lost its leaves, and removal gets ahead of the next growing season. That said, buckthorn can be removed year-round, and the best time to deal with it is as soon as you notice it.
Not when it is done right. Because we treat the stumps and handle the berries and seeds properly, the buckthorn we remove stays gone. We can also replant cleared areas with healthy plants so buckthorn does not have an opening to return. For heavily infested properties, a yearly walk-through to catch new seedlings keeps it under control long-term.
It depends on the size of the infestation and the condition of the property. A few shrubs along a property line is a very different job than a backyard that has been completely overtaken. Whether you are in Forest Lake, Stillwater, or anywhere across central Minnesota, we provide a free assessment and a clear quote before any work begins.
Yes. We manage the full process including proper removal and disposal of the cut material, berries, and seeds, which have to be handled carefully to avoid spreading buckthorn to new areas.
Buckthorn only gets worse the longer it sits. What is a manageable removal this year becomes a major clearing project in a few seasons.
Whether you have a few shrubs along the property line or a backyard that has been completely taken over, John’s Pro Care has the crew and the equipment to clear it and keep it gone, anywhere across Forest Lake and central Minnesota. Request your free quote today.
