After control work occurred on common buckthorns, lots of buckthorn seedlings were growing on this decomposing log. The common buckthorn seedlings were able to grow because of the increased sunlight. Common buckthorn is known to alter soil making it higher in nitrogen favoring further invasion. I wanted to see if common buckthorn could establish on the low-nitrogen environment of a decomposing log.

Yesterday, I visited the area and took the above photo of the decomposing log. Out of the many buckthorn seedlings that had germinated and were growing on this log the previous year, only one was still growing a year later. This was as I expected. The other seedlings you see on the log are spotted touch-me-not (Impatiens capensis) and a willow herb (Epilobium). Both these plants are native.

Update as of 7/16/2023. The only surviving buckthorn seedling from the previous year is now gone. I was only able to find seedlings that had germinated this spring growing on the log. Buckthorn seedlings don’t last much more than a year on a decomposing log.

When invasive woody species or over abundant tree species are controlling in the Chicago Area the wood is burned in piles. I have been told this is done so they can get into an area to do control work. It is interesting that buckthorn does not establish well on decomposing wood. If wood was left to decompose, then less buckthorn would need to be controlled in the future.