Tall Oregon Grape
November 9, 2022
By Adam Huggins
Tall Oregon Grape
Berberis aquifolium
- Hul’qumi’num Name: luluts’ulhp
- Description: Evergreen shrub, up to 3m tall. Leaves are shiny, leathery, and pinnately divided, often turning a beautiful red or gold in the winter. Flowers are bright yellow.
- Habitat: Dry, open forests and coastal bluffs.
- Harvest: Glaucous blue berries are ready in mid-summer.
- Edibility: Berries are tart but tasty, best mixed with sweeter berries.
- Fun Fact: The berries have natural pectin, making them a great addition to jams and jellies. The rhizomes are yellow due to an alkaloid called Berberine, and are used in herbal medicine.
