Berberis darwinii

Darwin's berberis

Family: Berberidaceae · Type: shrub · Not Native

Conservation status: Cal-IPC Yes

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.

Habitat: Coastal conifer forest, disturbed areas

Bloom period: Mar-Jun

Elevation: 10-100 m

Bioregions: NCo, CCo

Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Jepson eFlora, Cal-IPC, and more.