Christ’s thorn is a highly branched, highly prickly, to 3 m tall weed species of the Rhamnaceae family. The young branches are slim fibrous and subsequently become nude, reddish. The leaves are consecutive, located approximately in 2 rows on the branches, up to 4 cm, fall in the winter. The flowers are small, bipolar, golden yellow, collected in small shades. The fruit is a dry, round pit with 2-3 seeds. The seeds are flattened, back ovoid, remaining closed and after ripening. Blooms in June - July.

It is found on dry, stony and grassy terrain, shifting the more valuable tree and shrub species.

Use the fruits (Fructus Aculeati) of Christ’s thorn. Picking up July - November. The fruits are harvested after their ripening.

In medicine, the potion of the Christ’s thorn is used as a clamping agent for diarrhea, cough coughs, skin rashes and eczema, as a diuretic, in case of unintentional drinking in children. In large quantities, it irritates the digestive tract and the kidneys.