Berberis aquifolium var. dictyota
Jepson's oregon grape
Photo: parent species Berberis aquifolium · (c) Gavin Slater, some rights reserved (CC BY) · licence
Family: Berberidaceae · Type: Shrub · Native
Berberis aquifolium var. dictyota (Jepson's oregon grape) is a native California shrub in the Berberidaceae family, recognized by thick hard leaves, long spines, strongly wavy margins.
Jepson's oregon grape is a California native shrub found in northwestern, central, and southern California regions, including the Sutter Buttes, Transverse Ranges, and Peninsular Ranges in slopes, canyons, conifer forests, oak woodlands, and chaparral at elevations of 90 to 2,200 meters. Flowering from March to May, this plant produces blue-purple fruits with small white to yellow flowers arranged in clusters. Growing as an erect shrub less than one meter tall with a compact structure, it features distinctive leathery leaves with 7 to 9 leaflets. Its leaves are approximately 9 to 15 centimeters long, with thick, wavy margins and 6 to 10 sharp spines along each leaflet edge, giving the plant a robust and textured appearance. The blue-purple fruits and spiny, rounded leaflets make this oregon grape a striking component of California's diverse native plant communities.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 11 sympatric species; thick hard leaves, long spines, strongly wavy margins
Habitat and range
Habitat: Slopes, canyons, conifer forest, oak woodland, chaparral
Elevation: 90-2200 m
California counties: Kern, Tulare, San Bernardino, Ventura, Los Angeles, Butte, Tehama, Yuba, Siskiyou, Santa Clara, Calaveras, Madera, San Diego, Lake, Contra Costa, San Benito, Napa, Sutter, Riverside, Mariposa, Colusa, Tuolumne, Solano, Santa Barbara, Amador, Monterey, Alameda, Shasta, Fresno, Trinity, San Luis Obispo, Nevada, Stanislaus, Yolo, El Dorado, Orange, Santa Cruz
Bloom period
Berberis aquifolium var. dictyota blooms Mar-May.
How to tell it apart
vs Quercus: Berberis has compound leaves or simple leaves with regular spiny teeth; Quercus has simple lobed leaves with irregular lobes.; vs Ilex: Berberis has compound leaves or alternate simple leaves; Ilex has only simple leaves that are spirally arranged.; vs Pyracantha: Berberis has yellow flowers and compound or simple spiny-edged leaves; Pyracantha has white flowers and simple leaves with thorns on stems.; vs Rosa: Berberis has yellow flowers with 6 petals; Rosa has pink-white flowers with 5 petals and compound leaves with paired leaflets.; vs Rhaphiolepis: Berberis has yellow flowers and spiny-toothed leaves; Rhaphiolepis has white-pink flowers and simple leaves with smooth or finely toothed edges.
Frequently asked questions
Is Berberis aquifolium var. dictyota native to California?
Yes. Berberis aquifolium var. dictyota is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Berberis aquifolium var. dictyota bloom?
Berberis aquifolium var. dictyota blooms Mar-May.
Where in California does Berberis aquifolium var. dictyota grow?
Berberis aquifolium var. dictyota occurs in Kern, Tulare, San Bernardino, Ventura, Los Angeles, Butte, Tehama, Yuba and other counties, at elevations of 90-2200 m.
What plant family does Berberis aquifolium var. dictyota belong to?
Berberis aquifolium var. dictyota is in the Berberidaceae family, genus Berberis.
What habitat does Berberis aquifolium var. dictyota grow in?
Berberis aquifolium var. dictyota grows in Slopes, canyons, conifer forest, oak woodland, chaparral.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
Sources: Jepson eFlora · Index of California Plant Names · CalPhotos
Last updated 2026-09-30
Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Cal-IPC, and more.