Berberis darwinii
Darwin's berberis
(c) Jon Sullivan, some rights reserved (CC BY) · licence
Family: Berberidaceae · Type: Shrub · Not Native
Conservation status: Cal-IPC Yes
Berberis darwinii (Darwin's berberis) is a non-native California shrub in the Berberidaceae family, recognized by only species with simple leaves vs compound.
Darwin's berberis is a naturalized shrub found in northern and central coastal California in coastal conifer forests and disturbed areas at elevations of 10 to 100 meters. Flowering from March to June, this plant produces small ovate flowers in red to dark purple-black colors. Growing 1.5 to 3 meters tall with ascending to erect stems, it features distinctive three-branched nodal spines. Its evergreen leaves are ovate to obovate, 1.2 to 2.5 centimeters long, with 1 to 6 spines along each leaf edge. The fruit is a small ovoid berry 4 to 7 millimeters long, ripening to a deep dark purple-black.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 6 sympatric species; only species with simple leaves vs compound
Habitat and range
Habitat: Coastal conifer forest, disturbed areas
Elevation: 10-100 m
Outside California: Oregon, native to southern South America (Chile, Argentina)
Bloom period
Berberis darwinii blooms Mar-Jun.
Conservation status
Cal-IPC Yes
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 darwinii native to California?
No. Berberis darwinii is not native to California (recorded as not native).
When does Berberis darwinii bloom?
Berberis darwinii blooms Mar-Jun.
What plant family does Berberis darwinii belong to?
Berberis darwinii is in the Berberidaceae family, genus Berberis.
Is Berberis darwinii invasive in California?
Berberis darwinii is listed by Cal-IPC with an invasiveness rating of Yes.
What habitat does Berberis darwinii grow in?
Berberis darwinii grows in Coastal conifer forest, disturbed areas.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
Sources: Jepson eFlora · CalPhotos
Last updated 2026-10-07
Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Cal-IPC, and more.