You can find different buckthorn varieties to create a great backdrop, hedge, or privacy screen. But one of the cultivars that stands out the most is the Fine Line buckthorn.
These outdoor plants create a dense lustrous dark green bloom period. It is a deciduous shrub you can easily maintain to keep them at a desired size.
But what is the care for this gorgeous shrub? We will not keep you waiting longer, so read on! 😊
Plant Name: Rhamnus frangula ron williams
Other Name: Fine Line® rhamnus frangula ‘Ron Williams’
Plant Type: Deciduous shrub
Native Areas: Hybrid
Light Requirement: Partial sun to full sun
Watering: Average water needs
Fertilizer: Slow-release fertilizer
Toxicity: Mildly toxic to humans and pets
Temperature: Temperatures above zero
Propagation: Seed and stem cuttings
Growth: 5-7 feet tall and 2-3 feet wide
Soil Type: Well-drained soil
USDA Hardiness Zones: 3-7
More About Fine Line Buckthorn
The Fine Line buckthorn was accidentally seen in 1989 when Ron Williams, a hosta collector, identified it in his garden as a cross between two cultivars.
It has the columnar form of the Tallhedge, a female plant with the lacy foliage of a male. Decades later, he propagated a cutting in 2003, and it was licensed at Spring Meadows Nursery in Michigan. It was also selected as a Proven Winners plant for national distribution.
A parent plant of the Fine Line buckthorn is the Tallhedge Glossy Buckthorn which comes from Europe and is an ornamental plant that is cold hardy. The accent plant grows up to eight feet tall and two feet wide.
The branching comes from the base and has an arching form with willowy leaves that are glossy green. The yellow colors create a falling interest, and you see small yellow-green flowers in early spring.
With a typical buckthorn, you get fleshy fruit appearing in late summer in shades of red and then turning purplish black. The Fine Line buckthorn fruit production is low, and the seeds produced are nonviable.
Fine Line Buckthorn Care
These shrubs adapt to most environments and are used as accent plants in the garden. You can use them for mass planting as it has a narrow growth habit. It is an average shrub type with green light exposure adding interest in the garden in mass plantings.
You can grow this beautiful plant as a hedge or add foliage interest on a patio by growing it as a living wall.
⚠️ Still a warning is that many other buckthorns are invasive species while the Fine Line buckthorn is not, making it an excellent choice as an architectural plant. So, let’s look closer at how you can care for this plant to form narrow hedges with its wonderful texture.
How and When to Plant Bare Root Plants
The best time to plant your bare root shrub is in late fall, and you will need to water them well during the first season. Once a strong root system develops, it can tolerate dry conditions.
Dig a hole twice the width as the root ball and at the same depth if your plant is container bought. Amend the soil with plant material like compost and set the plant in the hole.
Remove the air pockets pressing down the soil while backfilling and watering the well. Then add a layer of mulch around your plant.
Another important thing with a bare-root shrub is that it helps to soak the roots in water for a few hours before planting.
The Best Soil and Watering Techniques For Fine Line Buckthorn
The Fine Line buckthorn adapts well to various soil types in the environment. It grows well in a dry foundation planting spot but needs well-drained soil to survive.
Another important thing is to provide your young plants with enough water to become established.
Once established, these shrubs are somewhat drought-tolerant and can survive the rainfall.
The Best Spot For The Eye Catching Foliage
Depending on where you grow your Fine Line buckthorn in the garden or a container, these plants do not reach a too-tall height and are easy to control. The best spot is part sun to full sun.
Your plants need at least eight hours of sun for you to enjoy the late fall interest colors.
Temperature and Humidity
The Fine Line buckthorn is hardy in the growing zone 3-7, but you rarely see them growing in temperatures dropping below zero. But some varieties can withstand temperatures down to -40°F.
Your plant can grow in narrow spaces in year-round humid conditions and adapt to arid conditions. So, as you can see, it is not considered invasive and provides many benefits in the garden.
Fertilizing Your Buckthorn on the Ground
These mass plantings do not need much to grow, and you can use a single application of slow-release fertilizer added to the soil as the growing season starts.
Pruning Fine Line Buckthorn
Based on your plant type, it needs pruning in late winter before the growing season starts. The Fine Line buckthorn has upright growth and seldom needs pruning. To keep your plant in shape in different container sizes, you can trim them.
Alternatively, you can remove broken branches to damaged or dead foliage.
How to Propagate Fine Line Buckthorn
You can propagate the Fine Line buckthorn using seeds, but not recommended as cuttings work the best.
Take softwood cutting from the new growth in early summer about eight inches long.
Cut a leaf node and remove the bottom half leaves.
Dip the cut end into a rooting hormone and insert it into a pot filled with a moist soilless mix.
Cover the container with a plastic bag and leave it in a cool spot with bright light.
Once new growth appears, remove the bag and care for your plant until you can transplant it into the landscape.
As mentioned, there is a 3% chance that the seed of a Fine Line buckthorn will germinate, and the waiting time is much longer.
Fine Line Buckthorn Similar Plants
As with the Fine Line Rhamus, also known as the fern leaf buckthorn, you can find other species. Still, it would be best to consider whether they are proven winners to grow in your growing zones.
Alder Buckthorn
The alder buckthorn is suitable to grow in woodland tree areas, or you can grow them as a hedge plant.
It is deciduous, adding foliage interest to the landscape. Still, it prefers growing in wet areas as it is not drought-tolerant.
The leaves are also food for butterflies and are matt green with greenish-white flowers in the growing season. It grows well in part sun to display upright blooms.
Variegated Italian Buckthorn
Rhamnus alternus are evergreen trees with gray-green foliage with white edges. The dense growth makes it ideal for planting as a hedge, and it is a beautiful plant to stand on a patio. It can reach 15 feet tall and 12 feet wide in growing zones 7-9.
Pests and Problems
Some common pests that can become a problem are Japanese beetles, caterpillars, scales, and aphids. In contrast, common diseases are cankers, leaf spots, and rust, while nematodes can attach to the roots.
Frequently Asked Questions
The Fine Line tall hedge buckthorn reaches heights of 84 inches with a spread of 36 inches. These trees grow with low canopies and have a clearance of one foot above the ground. With their narrow form, they grow well under power lines
The sea buckthorn dried berries and bark people use for medicinal purposes. They leave the bark to dry up to a year before using it. The reason for doing this is to help reduce vomiting when used. Still, all parts of the tree are toxic when consumed.
The Fine Line is not as invasive as other trees in the family as the seeds only have a 3% chance to germinate.
Fine Line Buckthorns typically grow to a height of 5 to 7 feet (1.5 to 2.1 meters) and have a narrow, columnar shape. The width of these shrubs is usually around 2 to 3 feet (0.6 to 0.9 meters).
Whether you want to buy, sell, or simply reach out to other plant enthusiasts, is the right place to be!
[products columns=”4″ rows=”1″ limit=”100″ orderby=”rand” paginate=”false” category=”Outdoor Plants” class=”outofstock”
