Search / Plant Profile / Berberis nevinii

Plant Profile

Nevin's Barberry (Berberis nevinii)

This is a closeup of the plant, especially the flowers. Photo Credit: Bart O'Brien

Global Rank: G1 - Critically Imperiled
Legal Status: Federally Endangered
Family: Berberidaceae
State: CA
Nature Serve ID: 146118
Lifeform: Shrub
Date Inducted in National Collection: 03/14/1986

Description:

Berberis nevinii is a large rounded shrubby member of the barberry family (Berberidaceae) that grows up to 4 meters tall, with blue-green, spiny pinnate leaves. This species is federally-listed as endangered and is also widely cultivated and popular in xeric gardens, in part for its bright red edible berries and bright yellow flowers that bloom March through April.

Where is Nevin's Barberry (Berberis nevinii) located in the wild?

Habitat:

Berberis nevinii generally grows in sandy/gravelly places between 240 and 820 m (800-2,700 feet) in elevation, on steep north-facing slopes or on low gradient, (south-facing) washes. Bedrock is typically of sedimentary origin (Boyd 1987). Associated plant communities are alluvial scrub, riparian scrub or woodland, coastal sage scrub, chaparral, and/or oak woodland (CNDDB 2007). A notable floristic feature of sites examined was the presence of several desert species not characteristic of cismontane chaparral (Boyd 1987; Mistretta and Brown 1989).

Distribution:

The distribution of Berberis nevinii is scattered with populations located throughout southern California in Los Angeles, Riverside, and San Bernardino counties. Historically, this species was distrib

States & Provinces:

Nevin's Barberry can be found in California

Which CPC Partners conserve Nevin's Barberry (Berberis nevinii)?

California Botanic Garden

Not Sponsored

Conservation Actions

Assigned 06/09/17

Santa Barbara Botanic Garden

Not Sponsored

Conservation Actions

Assigned 06/13/17

University of California-Santa Cruz Arboretum & Botanic Garden

Not Sponsored

Assigned 01/17/19

CPC's Plant Sponsorship Program provides long term stewardship of rare plants in our National Collection. We are so grateful for all our donors who have made the Plant Sponsorship Program so successful. We are in the process of acknowledging all our wonderful plant sponsorship donors on our website. This is a work in progress and will be updated regularly.

Conservation Actions

Cheryl Birker

11/19/2021

The California Botanic Garden (CalBG) made a conservation seed collection from a population of Berberis nevinii (Nevin’s barberry) located in San Francisquito Canyon of Los Angeles County, California on June 4, 2021. This is a recollection of the 1990 seed collection made by Walter Wisura (CalBG Accession #16285), and a seed sample was sent to the National Laboratory for Genetic Resources Preservation for use in the CPC/IMLS RNA Integrity Study. Botanists at CalBG have been monitoring this population since the 1990's, and have worked on projects to understand the population genetics, demography, reproductive biology of this taxon. In 2021 CalBG planted 600 individuals in San Francisquito Canyon in order to enhance the long term population viability.

Center for Plant Conservation

08/17/2021

In 2021, CPC contracted the California Botanic Garden to recollect seed from a population currently held in long term orthodox seed storage as part of an IMLS-funded seed longevity experiment. The National Laboratory for Genetic Resources Preservation will evaluate how germination tested viability and RNA Integrity of seed lots decline over time in storage.

09/01/2020

Based on an September 2020 extract of the California Plant Rescue Database, Santa Barbara Botanic Garden holds 2 accessions of Berberis nevinii in orthodox seed collection. There are as many as 350 seeds of this species in their collection - although some may have been used for curation testing or sent to back up.

09/01/2020

Based on an September 2020 extract of the California Plant Rescue Database, California Botanic Garden holds 6 accessions of Berberis nevinii in orthodox seed collection. There are as many as 115910 seeds of this species in their collection - although some may have been used for curation testing or sent to back up.

08/28/2020

Berberis nevinii has a long history in cultivation and has proven itself well-suited to cultivation with wide tolerances to different soils and cultivation practices (Mistretta and Brown 1989).

08/05/2020

Based on an August 2020 extract of the California Plant Rescue Database, Santa Barbara Botanic Garden has collected 2 seed accessions of Berberis nevinii from 1 plant occurrences listed in the California Natural Diversity Database. These collections together emcompass 9 maternal plants

08/05/2020

Based on an August 2020 extract of the California Plant Rescue Database, California Botanic Garden has collected 2 seed accessions of Berberis nevinii from 2 plant occurrences listed in the California Natural Diversity Database. These collections together emcompass 22 maternal plants

Nature Serve Biotics

05/02/2017

Mahonia nevinii is known from three counties in southern California. At least 7 of the 32 known populations have been extirpated and the remaining (twenty-one extant) populations are small (almost all have fewer than 10-20 individuals). The only large populations are in danger of being eliminated by encroaching urban development, off-road vehicles, horseback riding, invasive exotic species, vandalism, and altered fire regimes.

Valerie Soza, Naomi Fraga

01/01/2010

Most of the historic habitat of Berberis nevinii has been eliminated by agriculture, urban development, and flood control and stream channelization (Mistretta and Brown 1989). Other current threats that have been identified at several occurrences, in addi

Valerie Soza, Naomi Fraga

01/01/2010

There have been a total of 34 occurrences of Berberis nevinii reported in southern California, 5 of which have been or are presumed extirpated and 7 considered to have been introduced. Total number of individuals is estimated at 500, with approximately half of those as naturally occurring individuals. In addition, the majority of occurrences are comprised of only one to few individuals, with little to no reproduction observed (CNDDB 2007).

Valerie Soza, Naomi Fraga

01/01/2010

Berberis nevinii has a long history in cultivation and has proven itself well-suited to cultivation with wide tolerances to different soils and cultivation practices (Mistretta and Brown 1989).

Valerie Soza, Naomi Fraga

01/01/2010

The majority of known occurrences, including those natural occurrences with the largest number of individuals, are located on private property and not protected. Only three natural occurrences are located on federal lands (national forest system lands) and subject to federal protection

Valerie Soza, Naomi Fraga

01/01/2010

More surveys are needed within suitable habitat or within adjacent areas to or upstream from existing populations to locate additional occurrences of Berberis nevinii. Annual monitoring of existing populations is needed to determine reproduction and seedling recruitment within populations. In addition, genetic analysis of existing and introduced populations are crucial to understanding population dynamics; and experimental efforts into reintroduction of Berberis nevinii into protected areas may be warranted.

Valerie Soza, Naomi Fraga

01/01/2010

Genetic analysis in introduced populations need to be examined to determined the seed source of these populations