NICE! Plant of the Month
(Berberis trifoliolata)
Family: Barberry
Other Common Names: Algerita, Wild Currant, Paisano Bush
Type: Evergreen perennial shrub
Natural Habitat: Rocky limestone soil from coastal south Texas north to central, north and west Texas, also southern Arizona, New Mexico, and Mexico.
Growth: 3-6 feet.
Deer Resistance: High.
Wildlife: Important to bees, birds and small mammals
Light Tolerance: Full sun, but will grow in part shade or dappled light on edge of woods.
Flowers: Yellow, small and spicy fragrance; February to April.
Fruit: Red, pea-sized berry; May to July
Leaves: Evergreen, alternate and compound with stout, spiny, holly-like leaflets.
Water Requirements: Low
Soil Requirements: Adapts to most soil types as long as they are well drained.
Planting Instructions: Space plants 3-6 feet apart. Dig a hole at least two times wider than, but the same depth as the root ball in the nursery container. Sides of the hole should be irregular, not smooth. Remove plant from container, taking care to support the root ball. Loosen exterior roots gently with your fingers. If the plant is root-bound and cannot be loosened by hand, the outer roots may be cut in several places. Lift the plant by the root ball and place into the hole. Backfill hole, using soil that was dug out. Do not add any soil to the top of the root ball. Gently firm the soil with your hands, but do not tamp it down. Place 3-4 inches of mulch over the bare soil around, but not touching the base of the plant.
Watering Instructions after planting: Water deeply after planting to settle soil around roots. Then water every 2-3 weeks if no rainfall. Before watering, check soil moisture at a depth of an inch or two at the edge of the root ball. Skip a watering after a rainfall of ½ to 1 inch. Maintain this watering schedule until the first fall. Reduce watering during the cool and winter months. In a “normal” year, no watering may be necessary during the fall and winter, but during a dry year, monthly watering may be needed. Second Spring and thereafter: Water monthly only during the periods of drought. Once established, native will survive with little supplemental irrigation.
NICE! Tip: Use in place of Burford holly and Nandina. The berries make a delicious jelly. The wood is bright yellow and used to make a yellow dye. Because of its prickly leaves, it makes an excellent home security hedge; or as a nurse plant for vulnerable seedlings since deer tend to avoid it.
Look for the NICE! Plant of the Month signs and information sheets on your next visit to a participating Boerne nursery. And thank you for supporting native plants by using them in your landscapes.
