Glossy Buckthorn can be recognized by the alternate, shiny leaves with entire margins (no teeth) and the densely brown hairy buds. Fruits are red during ripening and eventually turn nearly black.

This species is a very aggressive invasive species in wet forests and can form nearly pure stands on some sites. It seems certain to displace most of the native plants from large areas of wet forest along the west shore of Green Bay where it has already reached epidemic proportions in some areas. As is the case with European Buckthorn, it produces numerous fruits, readily eaten by birds, which carry the seeds to new locations. Cut stumps sprout vigorously and control methods generally require the cut stumps to be treated with an herbicide. Small plants can be pulled by hand.