In 1753 Linnaeus created the Berberis genus name; in 1818 Thomas Nuttall created the Mahonia genus name.

     In 1849 Asa Gray placed the first species below in the Berberis genus and it has  remained there.

     In 1859 John Torrey placed the second species below in the Berberis genus, but in 1901 Friedrich Fedde moved it to the Mahonia genus.

     In 1828 John Lindley placed the third species shown below in the Berberis genus, but in 1831 Georg Don moved it to the Mahonia genus.

     The Flora of North America states that although "Mahonia is often recognized in horticultural works, ... it is seldom recognized by botanists."  The FNA has eliminated the Mahonia genus and placed all former members in the Berberis genus.

     William Weber's Colorado Flora, Stanley Welsh's Utah Flora, and John Kartesz's The Synthesis of the North American Flora  disagree with the FNA, placing the first species below in the Berberis genus but the other two species below in the Mahonia genus.

     Weber separates the two genera as follows:

     Berberis:  "Leaves simple, deciduous, with marginal teeth or weak spines; stems with branched spines at the base of the leaf clusters; sparingly branched, wand-like shrub".

     Mahonia:  "Leaves compound, evergreen, with stout marginal spines; stems not spiny".

     Welsh separates the two genera as follows:

     Berberis: "Primary leaves modified as pines; foliage leaves simple, aggregated on axillary spurs".

     Mahonia:  "Primary leaves pinnately compound, the leaflets spinose-toothed".

Mahonia fremontii (Barberry)
Berberidaceae (Barberry Family)

Semi-desert. Shrublands, woodlands, openings.  Spring.
Canyonlands National Park, Utah, April 14, 2004.

Barberry grows to 10 foot diameter unkempt-appearing bushes that dot the semi-desert sand lands.  It puts on a magnificent flower display, but not all bushes bloom every year.  Fall blooms are not uncommon.  Winter frost-kill is common at our latitude, for Mahonia fremontii prefers warm temperatures throughout the year.

"Fremontii" is for Army General, explorer, and collector John Fremont who inspired many with his adventures in the West.  (More biographical information.)

Mahonia fremontii (Barberry)
Berberidaceae (Barberry Family)

Semi-desert. Shrublands, woodlands, openings.  Spring.
Canyonlands National Park, Utah, April 14, 2004.

Holly-shaped, tough, older evergreen leaves contrast with light green leaves, the new spring growth which starts as dusty purple, turns light green with chlorophyll, and then ages to blue-green.

Mahonia fremontii (Barberry)
Berberidaceae (Barberry Family)

Semi-desert. Shrublands, woodlands, openings.  Spring.
Hunter Canyon, Utah, May 3, 2005.

Ripening fruit.

Mahonia fremontii (Barberry)
Berberidaceae (Barberry Family)

Semi-desert. Shrublands, woodlands, openings.  Spring.
Canyonlands National Park, Utah, November 11, 2005.

Mahonia repens.  Synonym: Berberis repens.  (Oregon Grape)
Berberidaceae (Barberry Family)

Foothills, montane, subalpine. Woodlands, openings. Spring.
Mesa Verde National Park, near Amphitheater, May 16, 2005.

Although a very small plant, Oregon Grape is conspicuous for many reasons: it often grows alone on warm, barren, rocky hillsides (although it is also at home in moist forests); its holly-like, thick (but brittle) leaves are eye-catching; it is usually evergreen (although the leaves commonly turn red in the fall); its flowers are numerous and bright yellow; its berries are large and blue and yummy.

"Repens" is Latin for "creeping".

Click for a forest view of Mahonia repens.

Mahonia repens.  Synonym: Berberis repens.   (Oregon Grape)
Berberidaceae (Barberry Family)

Foothills, montane, subalpine. Woodlands, openings. Spring.
Narraguinnep Natural Area, August 11, 2005.

These berries have several more weeks to ripen to juicy sweetness.