Virginia Tech Dendrology

piratebush Santalaceae Buckleya distichophylla (Nutt.) Torr. symbol: BUDI
Leaf: Opposite, simple, slender, ovate, with long drawn-out tip, 2 to 4 inches long, entire margins, green above and below, occur densely on the twig giving the appearance of a compound leaf.
Flower: Species is dioecious; females pale green approximately 1 inch long with 4 yellow-green, long narrow bracts; males considerably smaller in clusters of 4 to 7.
Fruit: Elliptical drupe, yellow green, 1 inch long (football shaped), ripening in late spring to summer.
Twig: Slender, gray-brown; buds small reddish brown; repeated forking pattern since it lacks a terminal bud.
Bark: Reddish to gray-brown, smooth, numerous short horizontal lenticels, somewhat cherry-like.
Form: A heavily branched shrub reaching up to 10 feet tall.
Looks like: strawberry bush - winged euonymus

Additional Range Information: Buckleya distichophylla is native to North America. Range may be expanded by planting. Download the full-size PDF map.
External Links: USDA Plants Database
All material 2021 Virginia Tech Dept. of Forest Resources and Environmental Conservation; Photos and text by: John Seiler, Edward Jensen, Alex Niemiera, and John Peterson; Silvics reprinted from Ag Handbook 654; range map source information