Berberis thunbergii

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Berberis thunbergii
Berberis thunb frt.jpg
Fruit
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Order: Ranunculales
Family: Berberidaceae
Genus: Berberis
Species:
B. thunbergii
Binomial name
Berberis thunbergii
DC.

Berberis thunbergii, the Japanese barberry, Thunberg's barberry, or red barberry, [1] is a species of flowering plant in the barberry family Berberidaceae, native to Japan and eastern Asia, though widely naturalized in China and North America, where it has become a problematic invasive in many places, leading to declines in species diversity, increased tick habitat, and soil changes. [2] [3] [4] Growing to 1 m (3 ft 3 in) tall by 2.5 m (8 ft 2 in) broad, it is a small deciduous shrub with green leaves turning red in the autumn, brilliant red fruits in autumn and pale yellow flowers in spring. [5]

Description

B. thunbergii has deeply grooved, brown, spiny branches with a single (occasionally tridentine) spine (actually a highly modified leaf) at each shoot node. The leaves are green to blue-green (reddish or purple in some horticultural variants), very small, spatula to oval shaped, 12–24 millimetres (1⁄2–15⁄16 in) long and 3–15 millimetres (1⁄8–9⁄16 in) broad; they are produced in clusters of 2–6 on a dwarf shoot in the axil of each spine. The flowers are pale yellow, 5–8 millimetres (3⁄16–5⁄16 in) diameter, produced in drooping 1–1.5 centimetres (3⁄8–5⁄8 in) long umbrella-shaped clusters of 2–5; flowering is from mid spring to early summer. The edible fruit is a glossy bright red to orange-red, ovoid berry 7–10 millimetres (9⁄32–13⁄32 in) long and 4–7 millimetres (5⁄32–9⁄32 in) broad, containing a single seed. They mature during late summer and fall and persist through the winter. [4]

Identification

This species is sometimes confused with Berberis canadensis (American barberry), Berberis vulgaris (common or European barberry), and other deciduous Berberis species; it is most readily distinguished by the flowers being produced in umbels, not racemes. [6]

Cultivation

Berries on an ornamental plant in winter Japanese barberry.jpg
Berries on an ornamental plant in winter

Berberis thunbergii is widely grown as an ornamental plant, [7] both in Japan and elsewhere in the temperate Northern Hemisphere. Numerous cultivars have been selected, including plants selected for yellow, dark red to violet, or variegated foliage, erect growth (for hedge use), and dwarf size. In Brazil, the plant is popularly known as Japanese barberis, and is widely cultivated in hedges and flower beds. [8]

In cultivation in the UK, the following have gained the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit:

Invasive species

Flowers in an umbel on naturalized Berberis thunbergii in the eastern United States Berberis thunbergii flowers in Pennwood State Park.jpg
Flowers in an umbel on naturalized Berberis thunbergii in the eastern United States

Japanese barberry can be found in most northeastern and Great Lakes states of the United States and in the eastern Canadian provinces. [18] A current map of its distribution can be found at the Early Detection and Distribution Mapping System (EDDmapS). [19] In recent years, Berberis thunbergii has been recognized as an invasive species in many parts of the eastern United States and Canada. [4] [20] The Plant Conservation Alliance's Alien Plant Working Group lists it among its "Least Wanted". [21] Japanese barberry is prohibited from being a seed contaminant in Michigan and banned from sale in Massachusetts and West Virginia. [22] This species is ranked "Very High" on the New York State Threat Assessment scale. [23]

This Berberis is avoided by deer, and has been replacing native species. Furthermore, the plant can raise the pH of the soil and affect soil nitrogen levels. Unlike B. canadensis and B. vulgaris, B. thunbergii does not act as a host for Puccinia graminis (black rust), a rust pathogen of wheat. [4] B. thunbergii, however, naturally hybridizes with B. vulgaris, and the offspring can be susceptible to P. graminis. [24]

Japanese barberry provides an exceptionally favorable environment for ticks due to the high humidity present in barberry's dense foliage. It is hypothesized that spread of barberry is correlated with the spread of Lyme disease. [25] Tick numbers are higher in areas with thick barberry understories, as opposed to areas with controlled barberry or no barberry. [26] In one study, 280 ± 51 adult black-legged ticks, Ixodes scapularis , were found per hectare (113 ± 21/acre) in a barberry infected area, while only 30 ± 10 adult black-legged ticks were found per hectare (12.1 ± 4.0/acre) in otherwise similar area with no barberry present. [27] [28]

A 2023 community-level study in a temperate forest in Connecticut observed that B. thunbergii had a lower arthropods abundance and a lower protein quality of arthropod in comparison to other native woody shrub species. Invasive species like B. thunbergii dominating over and competing against native plant species in forest ecosystems has an adverse effect on the food web in these communities by rendering fewer nutrients available to consumers. [29]

Detailed information on how to control Japanese barberry is available in a Michigan Department of Natural Resources document. [6]

Related Research Articles

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<i>Berberis aquifolium</i> Species of flowering plant

Berberis aquifolium, the Oregon grape or holly-leaved barberry, is a species of flowering plant in the family Berberidaceae, native to western North America. It is an evergreen shrub growing 1–3 meters tall and 1.5 m (5 ft) wide, with pinnate leaves consisting of spiny leaflets, and dense clusters of yellow flowers in early spring, followed by dark bluish-black berries.

<i>Mahonia</i> Genus of flowering plants belonging to the barberry family

Mahonia is a formerly accepted genus of approximately 70 species of shrubs or, rarely, small trees with evergreen leaves in the family Berberidaceae, native to eastern Asia, the Himalaya, North America, and Central America. They are closely related to the genus Berberis and as of 2023 the majority of botanical sources list it as a synonym for Berberis.

<i>Berberis</i> Genus of flowering plants representing the barberry family

Berberis, commonly known as barberry, is a large genus of deciduous and evergreen shrubs from 1–5 m (3.3–16.4 ft) tall, found throughout temperate and subtropical regions of the world. Species diversity is greatest in South America and Asia; Europe, Africa and North America have native species as well. The best-known Berberis species is the European barberry, Berberis vulgaris, which is common in Europe, North Africa, the Middle East, and central Asia, and has been widely introduced in North America. Many of the species have spines on the shoots and all along the margins of the leaves.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Berberidaceae</span> Family of flowering plants

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<i>Hydrangea macrophylla</i> Species of flowering plant in the family Hydrangeaceae

Hydrangea macrophylla is a species of flowering plant in the family Hydrangeaceae, native to Japan. It is a deciduous shrub growing to 2 m (7 ft) tall by 2.5 m (8 ft) broad with large heads of pink or blue flowers in summer and autumn. Common names include bigleaf hydrangea, French hydrangea, lacecap hydrangea, mophead hydrangea, and hortensia. It is widely cultivated in many parts of the world in many climates. It is not to be confused with H. aspera 'Macrophylla'.

<i>Berberis darwinii</i> Species of shrub

Berberis darwinii, Darwin's barberry, is a species of flowering plant in the family Berberidaceae, native to southern Chile and Argentina and naturalized elsewhere. Regional vernacular names include michay, calafate, and quelung. Growing to 3–4 m (9.8–13.1 ft) tall, it is an evergreen thorny shrub.

<i>Berberis vulgaris</i> Species of shrub

Berberis vulgaris, also known as common barberry, European barberry or simply barberry, is a shrub in the genus Berberis native to the Old World. It produces edible but sharply acidic berries, which people in many countries eat as a tart and refreshing fruit.

<i>Ribes sanguineum</i> Species of flowering plant in the gooseberry family Grossulariaceae

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<i>Berberis candidula</i> Species of plant

Berberis candidula is a species of plant in the family Berberidaceae. It is endemic to China, native to the provinces of Hubei and Sichuan. It is commonly known as paleleaf barberry.

<i>Berberis oiwakensis</i> Species of flowering plant

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<i>Spiraea thunbergii</i> Species of plant

Spiraea thunbergii (珍珠绣线菊), Thunberg spiraea or Thunberg's meadowsweet, is a species of flowering plant in the rose family, native to East China and Japan, and widely cultivated elsewhere.

<i>Phlox paniculata</i> Species of flowering plant

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<i>Berberis japonica</i> Species of flowering plant

Berberis japonica is a species of flowering plant in the family Berberidaceae, native to Taiwan. Despite the name, it is not native to Japan, though it has been known in cultivation there for centuries. The wild origins of this species have long puzzled botanists, but wild plants in Taiwan, previously known under the name Mahonia tikushiensis, appear most similar to the cultivated forms of B. japonica.

<i>Berberis vulgaris <span style="font-style:normal;">subsp.</span> australis</i> Species of shrub

Berberis vulgaris subsp. australis, synonym Berberis hispanica, is a shrub belonging to the family Berberidaceae and the genus Berberis. It is a woody plant and parts of the plant are considered toxic, although the berries are edible and juicy.

<i>Berberis valdiviana</i> Species of shrub

Berberis valdiviana is a species of flowering plant in the barberry family Berberidaceae. It is an evergreen shrub endemic to Chile, where it is locally known as clen or espina en cruz. It is distributed between the Santiago Metropolitan and Los Ríos regions. The Latin specific name valdiviana refers to the Valdivia Province of Chile. It has simple, dark green, pointed leaves, glossy on the upper surfaces, up to 8.5 cm (3.3 in) long. The flowers, which appear in May, are grouped in hanging racemes. Individual flowers are orange, 5–8 mm (0.2–0.3 in) across, and are followed by purplish fruits. It is grown as an ornamental plant, but is not suitable for colder regions.

<i>Berberis haematocarpa</i> Species of shrub

Berberis haematocarpa, Woot. with the common names red barberry, red Mexican barbery, Colorado barberry and Mexican barberry, is a species in the Barberry family in southwestern North America. It is also sometimes called algerita, but that name is more often applied to its relative, Mahonia trifoliolata.

<i>Epimedium pinnatum</i> Species of flowering plant

Epimedium pinnatum is a species of flowering plant in the barberry family Berberidaceae, native to northern Iran. It is a slowly-spreading evergreen perennial growing to 30 cm (12 in) tall and broad, with oval hairy leaves and bright yellow spurred flowers in late spring and early summer.

<i>Dysosma versipellis</i> Species of flowering plant

Dysosma versipellis is a species of flowering plant in the barberry family Berberidaceae, native to China. It is still widely referenced under Podophyllum versipelle and there is some debate as to its correct taxonomic status. Though it has quite a broad but sparse distribution in the damp, shady forests of south and west China, it has been designated as “Vulnerable” by the IUCN. A compact herbaceous perennial growing to 50 cm (20 in) tall and broad, it grows from underground rhizomes, with umbrella-shaped leaves and dark red, tubular, pendent flowers in spring.

References

  1. ↑ "Moonshine Designs Nursery". Archived from the original on 2 April 2008. Retrieved 29 March 2008.
  2. ↑ "Berberis thunbergii in Flora of China @ efloras.org". efloras.org.
  3. ↑ "Berberis thunbergii in Flora of North America @ efloras.org". efloras.org.
  4. 1 2 3 4 Swearingen, Jil M. (7 July 2009). "Least Wanted: Japanese Barberry". U.S. National Park Service. Archived from the original on 14 May 2011. Retrieved 20 March 2011.
  5. ↑ Brickell, Christopher, ed. (2008). The Royal Horticultural Society A-Z Encyclopedia of Garden Plants. United Kingdom: Dorling Kindersley. ISBN   9781405332965.
  6. 1 2 Michigan Department of Natural Resources (February 2012). "Japanese barberry Berberis thunbergii Invasive Species—Best Control Practices" (PDF). Michigan Natural Features Inventory. Archived from the original (PDF) on 19 January 2022. Retrieved 18 May 2022.
  7. ↑ "Berberis thunbergii". RHS. Retrieved 5 October 2023.
  8. ↑ Canales, Claudia (18 April 2024). "Berberis thunbergii: encante seu jardim com a popular Berbére-japonês" (in Brazilian Portuguese).
  9. ↑ "RHS Plantfinder – Berberis thunbergii 'Fireball'". Royal Horticultural Society. Retrieved 21 January 2018.
  10. ↑ "RHS Plantfinder – Berberis thunbergii 'Maria'". Royal Horticultural Society. Retrieved 21 January 2018.
  11. ↑ "RHS Plantfinder – Berberis thunbergii f. atropurpurea 'Admiration'". Royal Horticultural Society. Retrieved 21 January 2018.
  12. ↑ "RHS Plantfinder – Berberis thunbergii f. atropurpurea 'Atropurpurea Nana'". Royal Horticultural Society. Retrieved 21 January 2018.
  13. ↑ "RHS Plantfinder – Berberis thunbergii f. atropurpurea 'Concorde'". Royal Horticultural Society. Retrieved 21 January 2018.
  14. ↑ "RHS Plantfinder – Berberis thunbergii f. atropurpurea 'Dart's Red Lady'". Royal Horticultural Society. Retrieved 21 January 2018.
  15. ↑ "RHS Plantfinder – Berberis thunbergii f. atropurpurea 'Golden Ring'". Royal Horticultural Society. Retrieved 21 January 2018.
  16. ↑ "RHS Plantfinder – Berberis thunbergii f. atropurpurea 'Harlequin'". Royal Horticultural Society. Retrieved 21 January 2018.
  17. ↑ "RHS Plantfinder – Berberis thunbergii f. atropurpurea 'Rose Glow'". Royal Horticultural Society. Retrieved 21 January 2018.
  18. ↑ Link, Arthur F.; Turnblacer, Trey; Snyder, Cierra K.; Daugherty, Sarah E.; Utz, Ryan M. (March 2018). "Low Recruitment of Native Trees in a Deciduous Forest Associated with Japanese Barberry ( Berberis thunbergii ) Invasion". Invasive Plant Science and Management. 11 (1): 20–26. doi:10.1017/inp.2018.1. ISSN   1939-7291.
  19. ↑ EDDMapS. 2019. Early Detection & Distribution Mapping System. The University of Georgia - Center for Invasive Species and Ecosystem Health. Available online at "http://www.eddmaps.org/"; last accessed 27 October 2019.
  20. ↑ Ward, Jeffrey S.; Williams, Scott C.; Worthley, Thomas E. (May 2010). "Effectiveness of Two-Stage Control Strategies for Japanese Barberry ( Berberis thunbergii ) Varies by Initial Clump Size". Invasive Plant Science and Management. 3 (1): 60–69. doi:10.1614/IPSM-D-09-00003.1. ISSN   1939-7291.
  21. ↑ "PCA Alien Plant Working Group - Japanese Barberry (Berberis thunbergii)". Archived from the original on 23 October 2004.
  22. ↑ "Berberis thunbergii". USDA plant database. Retrieved 8 November 2015.
  23. ↑ "Japanese Barberry". Adirondack Park Invasive Plant Program. Retrieved 1 November 2019.
  24. ↑ Bartaula, Radhika (26 February 2018). "An interspecific barberry hybrid enables genetic dissection of non-host resistance to the stem rust pathogen Puccinia graminis". Journal of Experimental Botany. 69 (10): 2483–2493. doi:10.1093/jxb/ery066. PMC   5920301 . PMID   29529250.
  25. ↑ Zimmer, Carl (30 April 2013). "The Rise of the Tick".
  26. ↑ Williams, Scott C.; Ward, Jeffrey S.; Worthley, Thomas E.; Stafford, Kirby C. (1 August 2009). "Managing Japanese Barberry (Ranunculales: Berberidaceae) Infestations Reduces Blacklegged Tick (Acari: Ixodidae) Abundance and Infection Prevalence With Borrelia burgdorferi (Spirochaetales: Spirochaetaceae)". Environmental Entomology . 38 (4). Entomological Society of America (OUP): 977–984. doi:10.1603/022.038.0404. ISSN   0046-225X. PMID   19689875. S2CID   41634052.
  27. ↑ Williams, Scott C.; Ward, Jeffrey S. (1 December 2010). "Effects of Japanese Barberry (Ranunculales: Berberidaceae) Removal and Resulting Microclimatic Changes on Ixodes scapularis (Acari: Ixodidae) Abundances in Connecticut, USA". Environmental Entomology . 39 (6). Entomological Society of America (OUP): 1911–1921. doi:10.1603/en10131. ISSN   0046-225X. PMID   22182557. S2CID   38393339.
  28. ↑ Pfäffle, Miriam; Littwin, Nina; Muders, Senta V.; Petney, Trevor N. (2013). "The ecology of tick-borne diseases". International Journal for Parasitology . 43 (12–13). Australian Society for Parasitology (Elsevier): 1059–1077. doi:10.1016/j.ijpara.2013.06.009. ISSN   0020-7519. PMID   23911308. S2CID   43839489.
  29. ↑ "Are native plants always better for wildlife than invasives? Insights from a community-level bird-exclusion experiment". www.researchsquare.com. 4 August 2023. doi:10.21203/rs.3.rs-3214373/v1 . Retrieved 1 February 2024.
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