Berberis nervosa
Cascades oregon grape
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Family: Berberidaceae · Type: Shrub · Native
Berberis nervosa (Cascades oregon grape) is a native California shrub in the Berberidaceae family, recognized by distinctive long leaves, many leaflets, persistent bud scales.
Cascades oregon grape is a California native shrub found in northwestern California, northern Sierra Nevada, San Francisco Bay Area, and northern South Coast Ranges in conifer forest at elevations below 2,000 meters. Flowering from March to June, this plant produces yellow flowers in open clusters up to 15 centimeters long. Growing with spreading to erect stems 10 to 60 centimeters tall, it forms dense clusters of foliage. Its compound leaves are crowded at stem tips, with 7 to 23 lanceolate leaflets featuring sharp serrated edges and small spines along the margins. The fruit is a distinctive blue-purple berry 8 to 12 millimeters in diameter, adding visual interest to the shrub.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 8 sympatric species; distinctive long leaves, many leaflets, persistent bud scales
Habitat and range
Habitat: Conifer forest
Elevation: < 2000 m
California counties: Humboldt, Siskiyou, Mendocino, Marin, Del Norte, Santa Clara, Sierra, Trinity, El Dorado, Lake, Monterey, Sonoma, Santa Cruz, San Benito, San Mateo, Tehama, Napa, Contra Costa
Outside California: to British Columbia, Idaho
Bloom period
Berberis nervosa blooms Mar-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 nervosa native to California?
Yes. Berberis nervosa is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Berberis nervosa bloom?
Berberis nervosa blooms Mar-Jun.
Where in California does Berberis nervosa grow?
Berberis nervosa occurs in Humboldt, Siskiyou, Mendocino, Marin, Del Norte, Santa Clara, Sierra, Trinity and other counties, at elevations of < 2000 m.
What plant family does Berberis nervosa belong to?
Berberis nervosa is in the Berberidaceae family, genus Berberis.
What habitat does Berberis nervosa grow in?
Berberis nervosa grows in Conifer forest.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
Sources: Jepson eFlora · Index of California Plant Names · 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.