Japanese Barberry

Common Name: Japanese Barberry

Specific Name: Berberis thunbergii

Known Occurrence at Taylor Point:

Map areas: Roadside 5C

Category: Invasive, Non-Native, Shrub

Ecological Considerations:

Berberis thunbergii is a spiny shrub that grows 2 to 8 feet high in dense thickets. The branches are brown, and have sharp spines. The leaves are small and green, bluish-green, or dark reddish purple. It has pale yellow flowers that hang in umbrella-shaped clusters. The fruits are bright red berries growing on narrow stalks. Japanese Barberry is shade tolerant, drought resistant, and adaptable to a wide variety of habitats. It grows well in full sun to part shade but will flower and fruit even in heavy shade.

Problems Posed by this Plant:

Japanese Barberry forms dense stands in open woodlands, wetlands, pastures, and meadows. It alters soil pH – making it more basic – , alters nitrogen levels, and affects biological activity in the soil, thus changing the natural habitat.

Native Species Affected by this Plant:

Factors Affording a Competitive Advantage to this Plant:

Once established, barberry displaces native plants and reduces wildlife habitat and forage. It is very adaptable and grows heartily in fields, forests, floodplains, forest wetlands, pastureland, rights of way, roadsides, vacant lots etc. Berberis thunbergii is also associated with closed-canopy forests, forming dense, continuous stands.

White-tailed deer apparently avoid browsing barberry, preferring to feed on native plants, giving barberry a competitive advantage.

Propagation Mechanisms and Related Issues Affecting Efforts to Remove and/or Eliminate this Plant from Taylor Point:

Japanese Barberry propagates by seed as well as by creeping roots and growth from cut stumps. The Barberry branches also will root freely where they touch the ground (layering).
The fruits of the Japanese Barberry are readily dispersed by birds and small mammals.

Documented Best Removal Practices and Options/Pros and Cons of Various Options:

In early spring, immediately after leaf and flower formation, hand pull seedlings and small saplings. Be careful to work roots out while hand-pulling or digging because Barberry can re-sprout from severed roots. Removal of root portions is important management priority.

For mature plants, lop upper branches and use a shovel and/or weed wrench to pull out the plant. If the entire stump cannot be extracted, cover the cut stump with Buckthorn Baggies.

Because it produces an abundance of seeds, and the seeds have a high germination rate, prevention of seed production is also a key management priority.

Barberry’s root system is shallow. Small plants can be hand pulled, or dug up with a spade or hoe, particularly when the soil is damp. Thick gloves may be required when pulling Barberry because of the plants’ sharp spines. When removing a plant, it is important to capture the entire root system. Manual control works well but may need to be combined with chemical application in robust infestations.

Case Studies of Removal Efforts, Lessons Learned and Recommendations:

Additional Photos