Berberis aquifolium var. repens
Creeping oregon grape
Photo: parent species Berberis aquifolium · (c) Gavin Slater, some rights reserved (CC BY) · licence
Family: Berberidaceae · Type: Shrub · Native
Berberis aquifolium var. repens (Creeping oregon grape) is a native California shrub in the Berberidaceae family, recognized by low spreading habit, dull leaves, short spines distinctive.
Creeping oregon grape is a California native shrub found in the Klamath Ranges, northern Coast Ranges, Cascade Range, Sierra Nevada, Peninsular Ranges, Great Basin, and Mojave Desert in slopes, canyons, conifer forest, oak woodland, and chaparral at elevations of 150 to 2,600 meters. Flowering from April to June, this plant produces blue fruits that contrast against glossy, dark green compound leaves with spiny-edged leaflets. Growing with spreading to erect stems generally less than 0.8 meters tall, it forms dense, low-growing clumps in woodland understories. Its leaves are compound with 5 to 7 rounded leaflets, each 3 to 7 centimeters long and 2.5 to 4.5 centimeters wide, with sharp spines along the leaf edges. The blue to dark blue fruits are obovoid to elliptic, adding visual interest to this adaptable and widespread native shrub.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 10 sympatric species; low spreading habit, dull leaves, short spines distinctive
Habitat and range
Habitat: Slopes, canyons, conifer forest, oak woodland, chaparral
Elevation: 150-2600 m
California counties: Humboldt, Shasta, Placer, Modoc, Butte, Nevada, Del Norte, Glenn, Tulare, El Dorado, Alpine, Lake, Siskiyou, Calaveras, Tuolumne, Colusa, Trinity, Mariposa, Amador, Tehama, Mendocino, Sierra, San Diego, Inyo, Plumas, Mono, Los Angeles, Napa
Outside California: to British Columbia, Great Plains
Bloom period
Berberis aquifolium var. repens blooms Apr-Jun.
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. repens native to California?
Yes. Berberis aquifolium var. repens is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Berberis aquifolium var. repens bloom?
Berberis aquifolium var. repens blooms Apr-Jun.
Where in California does Berberis aquifolium var. repens grow?
Berberis aquifolium var. repens occurs in Humboldt, Shasta, Placer, Modoc, Butte, Nevada, Del Norte, Glenn and other counties, at elevations of 150-2600 m.
What plant family does Berberis aquifolium var. repens belong to?
Berberis aquifolium var. repens is in the Berberidaceae family, genus Berberis.
What habitat does Berberis aquifolium var. repens grow in?
Berberis aquifolium var. repens 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.