Common Barberry
Berberis vulgaris
Washington State Classification
Class C — Widespread, County-Selected Control
Common barberry is an alternate host for stem rust which affects small grain cereals, such as wheat, barley and oats.
Quick Reference
Identification
Growth Habit
Common barberry is a multi-stem, yellow-wooded shrub, growing 3 to 10 feet tall with gray bark on second year old stems.
Leaves
Leaves occur in tufts along stems right above the spines. Leaves are deciduous, dull green, elliptic to obovate, typically widest above the middle of the leaf, and 1 to 2 inches long. Leaf margins are finely serrate, with (8-) 16-30 teeth that are tipped with spines or bristles.
Flowers
The yellow flowers occur in drooping racemes of 10-20 and bloom in May and June.
Fruit & Seeds
Common barberry produces bright, orange-red, or purple, egg-shaped berries that can be up to 0.5 inch (10-11 mm) long and are juicy and solid.
Impact
Common barberry is an alternate host for stem rust which affects small grain cereals, such as wheat, barley and oats. Because of the importance of wheat as a crop in Washington and of recently reported increases in the incidence of rust and different rust races, it is listed as a Class C noxious weed.
Ecology & Spread
Habitat
Common barberry occurs on gravelly or rocky pastureland, fence-rows, brushy or wooded areas, and waste places. It can grow in full sun to somewhat shaded understories. Please click here to see a county level distribution map of common barberry in Washington.
Spread Mechanisms
Reproduction
The plant spreads by seed or by rhizomatous growth, producing large sized shrubs with dense
"
Control Methods
Mechanical
- Digging up small plants is effective, although it is important to remove all the roots or they will send up new shoots. This method can be time consuming and may not be feasible for large plants or thickets. Wear protective clothing and be careful of the spines when removing plants.