Common Barberry Berberis vulgaris

This European barberry is a broad deciduous shrub that has become naturalized in the United States, to the extent that it has become quite weedy.  It is in leaf from early spring to late fall and the seeds ripen from in the fall. The tiny yellow flowers appear in late spring to early summer and have an unpleasant odor.  It has three-parted spines at the base of the leaves. European barberry can be grown as a medium-size hedge, but tit does not tolerate extreme maritime exposure.

The plant is often found growing in woodland, as a hedge, or along roadsides. It prefers a sunny position in moist loamy soils, but can grow in heavy clay and nutritionally poor soils. It also tolerates semi-shade (light woodland) and dry or moist soil, but requires moist soil when grown in shade of trees. European barberry is very tolerant of pruning.  

Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems: 

It is listed as an invasive plant in several regions of the United States.  It is a host plant for wheat rust. As the most important alternate host of this fungus, it has been the subject of vigorous eradication programs, and it is now infrequent or absent in many areas where it was once frequent

VIDEO created by Andy Pulte for “Landscape Plant Identification, Taxonomy and Morphology” a plant identification course offered by the Department of Plant Sciences, University of Tennessee.