Oregon grape (Berberis aquifolium) is an evergreen shrub native to our area.   It is not often seen in home gardens, but it is a good candidate for natural spots on slopes.    We have a number of hard-to-get-to sloped areas and this shrub has filled in some areas nicely.   It has stiff, woody stems and branches and it may grow in the range of 50 to 150 cm high over time.   The leaves are glossy in spring and turn reddish in the fall and winter.

In spring Oregon grape produces many bright yellow flowers.

Blue berries form in the summer.    They are edible but sour.

They leaves remain all winter, adding some color to the snowy garden areas.

We dug up a root section from the edge of a forested area on Crown lands and transplanted it 40 years ago. It has been a reliable shrub in the garden since.     It spreads by stolons, so I dig around the edges of the plant to keep the growth in check and I prune off any stray leaders to reshape the shrub.     Otherwise, it is a maintenance-free garden shrub providing color, spring flowers, and berries to the home garden.