Berberis sp.
Oregon-grape, barberry, Barberry
(c) Herry Lawford, some rights reserved (CC BY) · licence
Family: Berberidaceae · Type: Shrub · Native
Berberis sp. (Oregon-grape) is a native California shrub in the Berberidaceae family.
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 sp. native to California?
Yes. Berberis sp. is native to California (recorded as native).
What plant family does Berberis sp. belong to?
Berberis sp. is in the Berberidaceae family, genus Berberis.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
- Berberis vulgaris — Common barberry
- Berberis aquifolium — Mountain grape
- Berberis aquifolium var. aquifolium — Oregon grape
- Berberis aquifolium var. dictyota — Jepson's oregon grape
- Berberis aquifolium var. repens — Creeping oregon grape
- Berberis darwinii — Darwin's berberis
- Vancouveria chrysantha — Siskiyou inside-out-flower
- Vancouveria hexandra — Deciduous vancouvaria
- Vancouveria planipetala — Redwood ivy
Sources: Jepson eFlora · CalPhotos
Last updated 2026-04-14
Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Cal-IPC, and more.