Japanese barberry

Also known as Thunberg's Barberry, Red Barberry

Japanese barberry forms dense, thorny thickets along woodland edges and forest understories, leafing out earlier in spring than most native shrubs. Bright red berries dangle along arching stems throughout autumn and winter, attracting fruit-eating birds that disperse seeds into surrounding habitats. Its dense canopy alters soil chemistry and creates humid microhabitats that harbor high populations of disease-carrying ticks.