The City of Chanhassen has released educational guidance to help residents identify and remove buckthorn, an invasive plant species that has spread throughout Minnesota since its introduction from Europe in the mid-1800s.

The city's presentation outlines identification techniques for the two main types of buckthorn found in Chanhassen: common buckthorn, which grows 10 to 25 feet tall with dark green leaves and persistent berries, and glossy buckthorn, which reaches up to 18 feet and prefers wetter soil conditions. The glossy variety can be confused with native choke cherry but differs in that its berries do not persist through winter.

For removal, the city recommends different methods based on plant size. Large plants with trunks two inches or more in diameter should be cut at soil surface and treated with herbicide, with late summer through fall identified as optimal timing. Smaller plants can be removed using a weed wrench tool, which Chanhassen Public Works makes available for three-day rental periods.

The Minnesota Department of Agriculture recommends allowing removed buckthorn to decay on-site to prevent spreading. The city advises against disposing of buckthorn in wetland buffer areas, trash bins, or by burying. Residents who need to transport unchipped buckthorn off-site can bring it to the brush dump at Chanhassen Public Works.

Buckthorn threatens native ecosystems by outcompeting indigenous plants, reducing habitat for wildlife, and contributing to soil erosion and poor water quality. The invasive species now appears in every Minnesota county and throughout Chanhassen.