Nevin's barberry is an endangered species

A rare garden gem, Nevin’s barberry is an endangered species that may now be restricted in its natural range to San Diego and Riverside counties.

It is a glorious blooming shrub, one of the best bloomers in a genus known for its outstanding bloom character. The densely packed canary yellow flowers are followed by equally showy yellow, orange and red berries.

The silvery foliage compliments the warm colors of its blooms and fruit and makes Nevin’s barberry a handsome shrub in many garden situations.

It is tolerant of most soil types except heavy clay and is adapted to hot inland conditions. Give it full exposure and good drainage for best results.

Though it tolerates garden water better than some chaparral shrubs, it can be grown completely dry within its natural range after becoming established.

This shrub can reach large sizes, 10 feet high and around, or more. This may be why I so often see it shaped into little pompoms in gardens, because it is incorrectly placed in a four-foot-wide bed or immediately adjacent to a path.

Surprisingly, Nevin’s barberry takes this treatment well and makes an admirable shaped hedge. You can even coppice it to the ground to rejuvenate old specimens.

Why anyone would want to cut off the blooms and berries, I can’t imagine. And the birds won’t understand it either. The spiny foliage and exuberant fruiting character of this shrub makes excellent habitat for small songbirds.

Clayton Tschudy is an ecological landscape designer and the assistant manager of Las Pilitas Native Plant Nursery. To reach him, call (951) 676-1839.