Berberis darwinii

Darwin's barberry

Berberidaceae

Overview

Berberis darwinii is an attractive evergreen shrub highly valued in Pacific Northwest gardens for its brilliant orange-yellow flowers, deep green glossy foliage, and blue-black berries. This architecturally interesting shrub provides year-round interest with its dense, spiny growth habit and seasonal displays of color. In the Pacific Northwest, it performs exceptionally well in coastal areas where it tolerates salt spray and serves as an excellent hedge, specimen plant, or wildlife habitat. Its thorny branches provide excellent natural security while its berries attract birds throughout the fall and winter seasons.

How to Identify

Berberis darwinii can be identified by its small, glossy, holly-like leaves arranged alternately along thorny stems. The leaves are typically 1-2 inches long with spiny margins and deep green coloration on the upper surface with a lighter underside. The most distinctive feature during spring is the profusion of hanging clusters of bright orange-yellow flowers, followed by dusty blue-black berries in late summer through fall. The shrub's multi-stemmed habit with arching branches and three-pronged spines at leaf nodes is also characteristic.