Evergreen Barberry

Berberis julianae

Found in floodplains, also seeding down and escaping locally near horticultural plantings. FloraQuest, phone app (app page) What its natural habitat tells you

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Not native

Not native to Alabama. How scores work Is it native here?

Profile 82%

Height: 6–10 feet
Spread: 4–8 feet
Light: Full sun, Partial shade
Soil moisture: Somewhat dry to moist

See native alternatives

Berberis julianae — flower photograph — (c) Michael J. Papay, some rights reserved (CC BY) · CC BY 4.0 · Original photograph

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Sun: Full sun, Partial shade. Soil: Usually moist. Flowers: Green or white.
Similar growth form, height, spread
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At a glance

Life cycle: Woody perennial
Leaves: Evergreen
Bloom: December to March
Fruiting season: February to May

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Recorded in 5 Alabama counties.

Natural habitats

Places it grows wild. Not a planting requirement. Each habitat page lists the plants and wildlife also found there.

Floodplain and bottomland forests

Forests on low ground beside rivers and streams that flood from time to time.

All habitats

Ecological relationships

Who uses this plant?

What these records mean

11CaterpillarsGenus host records with ranges including AL

Genus host records with ranges including AL · Berberis

Bleptina caradrinalisBent-Winged Owlet, Variable Snout
Callosamia prometheaPromethea Silkmoth, Promethea Moth
Hyalophora cecropiaCecropia Silkmoth, Cecropia Moth
Hyphantria cuneaFall Webworm
Malacosoma americanaEastern Tent Caterpillar
Omphalocera cariosaMoonseed Webworm
Orgyia leucostigmaWhite-Marked Tussock Moth
Platynota flavedanaBlack-Shaded Platynota
Platynota rostranaOmnivorous Platynota
Rheumaptera meadiiBarberry Geometer, Barberry Looper

Show all 11

Thyridopteryx ephemeraeformisEvergreen Bagworm Moth

Shropshire & Tallamy 2025, Lepidoptera of North America north of Mexico, ZooKeys 1261 (ODbL)

—BeesSoutheastern regional records

—Specialist beesPollen specialists

3BirdsRecorded genus food-resource interactions; not a state feeding claim

Recorded genus food-resource interactions; not a state feeding claim · Berberis

Bonasa umbellusRuffed Grouse
Perdix perdixGray Partridge
Turdus migratoriusAmerican Robin

Hurlbert, Olsen, Sawyer & Winner 2021, Avian Diet Database, Scientific Data 8: 260 (CC0)

Direct food only: birds recorded eating this genus across North America. Caterpillars on host plants also feed nesting birds. NC Native Plant Society: butterfly gardening

Growing and identification

Plant details

Family: Berberidaceae
Hardiness: Zones 6a–8b
Soil pH: Neutral
Flower color: Yellow
Growth rate: Moderate
Growth habit: Several stems
Foliage color: Red
Fruit begins: February
Fruit ends: May

Safety has not been reviewed for this plant; check toxicity and thorns before planting.

Growing sources and scope

Bloom · “December to March” · FloraQuest: Carolinas, Georgia (Southeastern Flora Team), phone app (app page) (ranked first; USDA PLANTS differs) · Carolinas and Georgia
Flower color · “Yellow” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox
Foliage color · “Red” · USDA PLANTS · Nationwide species characteristics; local growing conditions may vary
Fruit begins · “February” · FloraQuest: Carolinas, Georgia (Southeastern Flora Team), phone app (app page) (ranked first; USDA PLANTS differs) · Carolinas and Georgia
Fruit ends · “May” · FloraQuest: Carolinas, Georgia (Southeastern Flora Team), phone app (app page) (ranked first; USDA PLANTS differs) · Carolinas and Georgia
Growth habit · “Several stems” · USDA PLANTS · Nationwide species characteristics; local growing conditions may vary
Growth rate · “Moderate” · USDA PLANTS · Nationwide species characteristics; local growing conditions may vary
Hardiness · “Zones 6a–8b” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox
Height · “6–10 feet” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox (ranked first; USDA PLANTS differs)
Leaves · “Evergreen” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox
Life cycle · “Woody perennial” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox
Light · “Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day); Partial shade (direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox
primary_flower_color · “yellow” · USDA PLANTS
Soil · “Moist; Occasionally dry” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox
Soil pH · “Neutral” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox
Spread · “4–8 feet” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox

Conservation status

Alabama rank	Not available
Global rank	GNR
AL status	Not verified
Federal status	Not verified

Conservation source Global and federal source