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Lake County & Northern Cook County, IL
Beyond Buckthorn provides professional buckthorn removal and long-term treatment to restore your property in Lake County and Northern Cook County, IL.
Drag to compare: before & after buckthorn removal
Comprehensive buckthorn management from initial assessment through native restoration.
Not sure how bad your buckthorn problem is? We offer on-site evaluations to assess the extent of the invasion, identify species, and provide a clear treatment recommendation with a written quote.
Mechanical removal of common and glossy buckthorn shrubs and trees of all sizes. We handle everything from clearing dense thickets to removing individual invasives, including stump treatment and debris disposal.
Buckthorn grows back aggressively without proper treatment. We apply targeted herbicide methods including cut-stump, basal bark, and foliar treatments, and offer ongoing monitoring plans to keep your property buckthorn-free long term.
Cleared land needs to be reclaimed before buckthorn comes back. We help property owners establish native trees, shrubs, and ground cover to permanently restore the space — and we can help coordinate with local incentive programs to offset planting costs.
The Problem
Common buckthorn (Rhamnus cathartica) and glossy buckthorn (Frangula alnus) are invasive shrubs and small trees introduced from Europe and Asia. Both species are listed as exotic invasive plants by the State of Illinois, and both have spread aggressively across Lake County and the greater Chicago region over the past several decades.
Left unchecked, buckthorn takes over. It displaces the native understory plants, shrubs, and tree seedlings that form the foundation of healthy woodland and savanna ecosystems. Once established, it is extremely difficult to eradicate without a comprehensive removal and treatment plan.
Dense buckthorn stands like this are common across Lake County and Northern Cook County — often forming impenetrable thickets that crowd out all other vegetation.
Buckthorn leafs out weeks earlier in spring and holds its leaves well into fall, shading out native wildflowers and tree seedlings before they can establish. Few native species can survive beneath a mature buckthorn canopy.
A single mature buckthorn produces thousands of berries each year. Birds eat and spread the seeds across the landscape, and seeds can remain viable in the soil for years after the parent plant is removed.
Buckthorn produces emodin, a compound that inhibits the germination and growth of many native plant species. This chemical advantage compounds its physical dominance, making recovery of invaded areas especially difficult.
Cut buckthorn stumps resprout aggressively, often sending up a dozen or more new stems per cut. Removal alone is not enough — without targeted herbicide treatment, buckthorn always comes back.
Who We Are
Beyond Buckthorn was founded by Daniel, Peter, and Robert DeSio, three brothers who grew up in Prospect Heights, IL and care deeply about the health of its natural landscapes. After seeing firsthand how invasive buckthorn had overtaken woodlands and properties across Cook County, we decided to do something about it.
We combine hands-on removal techniques with targeted, effective treatments to deliver lasting results. We take pride in doing the job right the first time.
Contact us for a free, no-obligation quote. We serve Lake County and Northern Cook County, and consider requests from surrounding areas.