Invasive Plants

Barberry Shrubs

Some of those beautiful small Barberry shrubs, so prized for their colorful summer foliage have turned into thugs in the woods! The red berries are carried by birds and the seeds rapidly germinate. City staff members have noted particularly high germination on green barberry types and it is recommended that homeowners, property managers and commercial establishments remove these plants immediately and substitute non-invasive landscape plants. Barberry plants will no longer be acceptable for planting plans for development review for new projects.

This video from the University of Minnesota is very catchy and explains more about how the Barberry (seeded types) become bad guys in the woods.

DNR has now listed Barberry shrubs on its terrestrial invasive species list. Barberry seedlings invade oak woodlands and oak savanna areas and prefer well-drained soils, like most of Fridley and our parks and shorelines/bluff areas. Once established its prolific spreading shades out native plants. Japanese barberry was introduced to North America and is non-native.