What is this plant? Need help identifying...

[Big Wave D]

Picture comes from Northern Indiana. Picture was taken during winter so no leaves to help out in identifying.

What is it?

Are berries good for anything?

Is plant worth keeping?

Thanks

 

[backdoor]

Looks very much like a barberry plant. I don't know of any use for the berries other than decorations. The plants are sold for landscaping, and a few have escaped to grow wild around here.

 

[sawdust_maker]

Picture comes from Northern Indiana. Picture was taken during winter so no leaves to help out in identifying.

What is it?

Are berries good for anything?

Is plant worth keeping?

Thanks

Assuming there are many spiny thorns, it looks very much like barberry.

I would not be at all surprised, since barberry is known to be a highly invasive plant in the US. In fact, the sale of this plant is outlawed in some areas.

Barberry foliage is quite nice looking, especially in the fall. The birds will like the berries. Of course, this is how the plant propagates so well.

If it is barberry, then the berries are theoretically edible, though a bit on the tart side and supposedly rich in vitamin C. I've never seen them used for anything myself. In the link I supply, it says they are used for a variety of purposes. I imagine the resourceful might be able to make jam from them. The problem is the thorns, so getting enough of the small berries takes some effort.

Of course, before eating any berries, I would make doubly sure this is indeed barberry.

John

 

[Big Wave D]

Thank you all SO much! :thumbsup:

You are both exactly right.

Add enough sugar to anything and jam or jelly can seem to be made, if it isn't poisonous to start with.

 

[ArtMech]

Picture comes from Northern Indiana. Picture was taken during winter so no leaves to help out in identifying.

What is it?

Are berries good for anything?

Is plant worth keeping?

Thanks

My wife recognised barberry in a picture immediately, without reading a post
We have planted barberry this year to decorate a yard.

 

[thatguy]

We have barberry as landscaping plants- could I take and plant the those berries and grow new plants? or do i need to do something else as well?

just wondering

b

 

[forgeblast]

you can plant it from seed, i heard its pretty invasive. I weed wack them anytime i see them on my property. If it has thorns it grows around us do to the deer.

 

[ArtMech]

We have barberry as landscaping plants- could I take and plant the those berries and grow new plants? or do i need to do something else as well?

just wondering

b

You can also cut a barberry brush roots separating them with the branches in as many smaller parts as You need (just ample feeding roots should be left in each part) and plant them in the other place(s). So we did.

 

[thatguy]

thanks Forgeblast and Saracenas for the advice I was just curious... Our barberry plants are 4 yrs old and are getting large - but I have not seen any new plants coming up from the seeds.. We picked barberry trying to help keep the deer away from the landscaping..

Brian

you can plant it from seed, i heard its pretty invasive. I weed wack them anytime i see them on my property. If it has thorns it grows around us do to the deer.

 

[ArtMech]

thanks Forgeblast and Saracenas for the advice I was just curious... Our barberry plants are 4 yrs old and are getting large - but I have not seen any new plants coming up from the seeds.. We picked barberry trying to help keep the deer away from the landscaping..

Brian

You're welcome.
I just wanted to say that it could be, that the wild birds are taking the berries and sowing the barberry away from Your farm, that's why You don't find new plants growing from the seeds.

Like we have (and accept) a case, when the birds are throwing down the seeds of Sea Buck-thorn (Hippophae) right under utility pole simply sowing it that way. They take these berries from my neighbour's farm.

But ... just took a look at my book, where it is mentioned, that the barberry seeds are ... poisonous, if we speak about the same barberry (Berberis vulgaris). The berries are not, just their seeds, which should be separated in case if You'd like to use them.

So - sorry, but no answer to be suggested :confused3:

How does the barberry help You to keep the deer away? (That's my issue as well) Do You form a fence of them?