Purging Buckthorn

Rhamnus cathartica

Purging Buckthorn is a small, spiny shrub characterised by oval, finely toothed leaves and clusters of black berries. In the Middle Ages, monks used the berries as a laxative. Eating the berries can cause severe vomiting, diarrhea, and intense stomach cramps. Only two buckthorn trees are known to exist in Hainault Forest.