Japanese Barberry




How it was Introduced/Migrated 

Introduced in the U.S. in 1875 as an ornamental plant, the Japanese Barberry is one of New England's most abundant invasive species. This plant can be found from North Carolina to Maine with the USDA saying it grows well in the hardiness range of 4 to 8. This plant is also sun and shade tolerant. 


How it started to take over the ecosystem 

Initially spreading as an ornamental, the Japanese Barberry is estimated to cover 4.6% - 6.5% of all forested land in Massachusetts. This number has gotten so high because the barberry can produce a prolific amount of seeds each year. These seeds are then dispersed mainly by birds eating them in residential yards. 


Source:https://whyy.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/bigstock-A-Red-Crimson-Japanese-Barberr-230607913-768x512.jpg 


How to remove the invasive including case study 

Mechanical control

         According to Penn State educator Tim Abbey, the best way to remove Japanese Barbery is by mowing it (3-6) times a year. This will require an industrial-grade mower because some of the mature plants will be too resilient. another method of removal would be manually weeding the plant. This is only recommended for plants that are not established yet.

Chemical control 

Another potential control method that is being tested right now is the burn method. This is typically done with a propane torch that is pointed at the base of the plant. One of the downsides of this method is that it has a 40% mortality rate. This is much less when compared to the 94% that the weeding method yields.

It's best to use these methods right before or during the flowering period because this stunts the plant's ability to grow and seed.


Fun facts and other info 

- In 1875 the Japanese Barberry seeds were sent to the Arnold Arboretum in Boston, Massachusetts. 

- 14 years later it was planted in the New York Botanic Garden. This is also when it was promoted as an alternative to the exotic plant Berberis vulgaris, which had been found to be a host for black stem rust that was happening to wheat.



Sources

USDA. “An Assessment of Japanese Barberry in Northern U.S. Forests.” An Assessment of Japanese Barberry in Northern U.S. Forests, https://www.fs.usda.gov/nrs/pubs/rn/rn_nrs249.pdf.

Abbey, Tim. “The Invasive Japanese Barberry.” Penn State Extension, https://extension.psu.edu/the-invasive-japanese-barberry#:~:text=Japanese%20barberry%20(Berberis%20thunbergii)%20is,tall%20with%20a%20similar%20width.&text=It%20was%20introduced%20in%20the,care%20and%20is%20now%20naturalized.

Invasive. “Japanese Barberry.” Japanese Barberry (Berberis Thunbergii), https://www.invasive.org/alien/pubs/midatlantic/beth.htm.


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