What does it look like?
Darwin's barberry is a woody evergreen shrub that grows up to 5 metres tall. It has hairy stems with 5 needle sharp prongs below each group of leaves. Its leaves grow up to 3 cm long and are glossy and serrated.
The leaves are similar to holly in appearance. Bright yellow/orange flowers (5-7mm in diameter) appear in clusters from July to February, followed by purplish black berries roughly the same size as the flower.
Why is it a problem?
Darwin's barberry is a long-lived plant with seeds that are easily dispersed by birds and other vertebrates like possums. It tolerates moderate to cold temperatures, damp to dry conditions, and can establish in a wide variety of soil types.
It’s shade tolerant, salt tolerant, and can successfully establish in areas that are prone to high winds. It can invade disturbed forest, pasture, shrublands and herbfields. Given time, it can permanently alter these habitats, forming dense stands.
Control methods
Physical control
Grub out (all year round). Leave on site to rot down.
Herbicide control
- Stump swab (all year round) using glyphosate (200ml/L) or metsulfuron-methyl 600g/kg (5g/L) or picloram gel or a product containing 100g picloram+300g triclopyr/L (100ml/L) or triclopyr 600 EC (200ml/L). Or,
- Cut and squirt (all year round) using metsulfuron-methyl 600g/kg (1g/100mm stem diameter). Or,
- Spray (during sprint and autumn) using metsulfuron-methyl 600g/kg (5g/10L) or a product containing 100g picloram+300g triclopyr/L (25ml/10L).
- Cut stumps resprout quickly and can be hard to kill - seeds will germinate onto bare land. Follow up 6 monthly. Replant bare sites to minimise seeding.
- CAUTION: When using any herbicide or pesticide, PLEASE READ THE LABEL THOROUGHLY to ensure that all instructions and safety requirements are followed.
More information
- Darwin’s barberry is known to exist in Hawke’s Bay in the Gwavas area, and the Puketitiri area in low to moderate numbers.
- Darwin’s barberry is listed as a Progressive Containment pest under the Hawke’s Bay Regional Council Regional Pest Management Plan 2018-2038 and is subject to Plan Rule 5.
- Please report any sightings of Darwin’s barberry to us on 06 835 9200.
Related links
Notify Council
If you think you've found this pest, please get in touch with our Biosecurity Team at biosecurity@hbrc.govt.nz or call us on 0800 108 838.
Management Programme
National Pest Plant Accord (NPPA)
The NPPA is designed to prevent the sale, distribution and propagation of a set list of pest plants (the Accord list) within New Zealand. If allowed to spread further, these pest plants could seriously damage the New Zealand economy and environment.
More informationProgressive Containment Programme
To contain or reduce the geographic distribution of the subject, or an organism being spread by the subject, to an area over time.
Unwanted Organism
An unwanted organism is any organism that's capable of causing harm to natural or physical resources (like forests and waterways) or human health. A number of introduced pests in New Zealand are classed as unwanted.
Rules
Rule 5 - Darwin’s Barberry
Except where an occupier of land has entered into a Written Management Agreement approved by Hawke’s Bay Regional Council, an occupier of land shall destroy all [NAME] plants on their land.
Taxonomies
FamilyBerberidaceae
TypePlants
GroupShrub
HabitatLand
Management ProgrammeNational Pest Plant Accord (NPPA)Progressive Containment ProgrammeUnwanted Organism
