California barberry
Berberis pinnata
Last reviewed: August 2026
Light
part shade
Water
medium
Size
36"–72" H × 36"–60" W
Bloom
Mar, Apr
Native to
CA, OR
Pollinators
bees
Before you buy
Your city may pay you to plant this
Cities and water utilities offer rebates for replacing lawn with native and water-wise plants. We track 431 programs across 44 states, each with a link to the provider and the date we last checked it.
Find rebates in your areaThis barberry is an evergreen shrub with spiny, holly-like compound leaves and clusters of small bright yellow flowers in early spring, followed by blue-purple berries. It grows in woodland understory and forest edges.
Wildlife value
Bees visit the yellow flowers for nectar and pollen, and the berries that follow are eaten by birds later in the season.
Common questions
- How much sun does California barberry need?
- California barberry grows best in part shade conditions.
- When does California barberry bloom?
- California barberry blooms in March and April.
- Where is California barberry native?
- California barberry (Berberis pinnata) is native to CA, OR, per vouchered herbarium specimen records and regional native plant society lists.
- What pollinators does California barberry attract?
- California barberry draws bees.
Native range data from vouchered herbarium specimen records and regional native plant society lists. Pollinator and host plant associations compiled from GBIF, iNaturalist, and published ecological literature.
Ready to grow California barberry? Add it to your garden in Pollinator Patch to track it and get season-by-season care guidance.
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