Virginia Tech Dendrology

Nevine's barberry Berberidaceae Mahonia nevinii (A. Gray) Fedde symbol: MANE3
Leaf: Pinnately compound, alternate, evergreen, 4 inches long; 3 to 5, holly-like leaflets each 2 inches long, sharply spined teeth, thick, waxy, gray to blue-green above and paler green below.
Flower: Perfect, small (1/4 inch) bright yellow flowers are loosely borne on 2 inch spikes, appearing in late winter to mid-spring.
Fruit: Orange-red berries, 1/4 inch across, appearing in mid-summer.
Twig: Reddish brown when young, turning gray-brown with age.
Bark: Gray-brown, developing shallow fissures and ridges; ridge tops becoming slightly scaly on large specimens.
Form: A large, straggly shrub reaching up to 10 feet tall.
Looks like: red barberry - Fremont barberry

Additional Range Information: Mahonia nevinii is native to North America. Range may be expanded by planting. Download the full-size PDF map.
External Links: USDAFS FEIS Silvics - USDA Plants Database
All material © 2021 Virginia Tech Dept. of Forest Resources and Environmental Conservation; Photos and text by: John Seiler, Edward Jensen, Alex Niemiera, and John Peterson; Silvics reprinted from Ag Handbook 654; range map source information