Edible Parts: Fruit  Oil
Edible Uses: Oil

Fruit - raw or cooked[85, 183]. The berries are edible and make excellent jelly, syrup, or juice when sweetened. Their flavor is pleasantly tart, similar to currants or unsweetened blueberries. The fruits are too sour to eat in large quantities raw but have good nutritional value and were historically a valuable wild food [2-3]. An acid flavour but it is rather nice raw, especially when added to muesli or porridge[K]. Unfortunately, there is relatively little flesh and a lot of seeds[K]. Used for making jams. jellies etc. They can also be made into a refreshing lemonade-like beverage[183]. When sugar is added, the fruit juice is similar to grape juice[212]. The fruit is about 9mm in diameter[200]. Taste, Processing & Kitchen Notes: Fresh berries have a sharp, sour flavor due to natural malic and citric acids. Cooking softens the seeds and releases the deep purple-red pigment into the liquid, producing a rich juice similar to grape or black currant. When sweetened, it becomes refreshing and flavorful. To prepare, simmer the berries gently for 15–20 minutes, mash, and strain through muslin. The strained juice can be sweetened and reduced into syrup or combined with apple or crabapple juice for jelly. Dried berries become leathery and somewhat sweeter. Because of the high acidity, creeping barberry is ideal for preserves and beverages rather than fresh eating. Seasonality (Phenology): Creeping barberry flowers from April to July depending on elevation. Fruits ripen from mid-summer through early autumn (July–September) and may persist into early frost. Evergreen leaves provide color year-round, shifting from green to bronze as temperatures cool. Harvest & Processing Workflow: Harvest berries in mid- to late summer when blue-purple and easily detached. Gently strip clusters by hand or clip with scissors. Rinse to remove dust, mash, and simmer for juice extraction. Strain and sweeten for syrups or jellies. Berries can also be air-dried for teas or snacks. Traditional / Indigenous Use Summary: Tribes including the Kootenai, Salish, and Blackfoot used creeping barberry for food, dye, and medicine. The berries were dried, mashed, or cooked into sauces, while roots and stems yielded yellow dye and medicinal teas for stomach ailments. It also featured in traditional beverages mixed with chokecherries or serviceberries.

Plants For A Future can not take any responsibility for any adverse effects from the use of plants. Always seek advice from a professional before using a plant medicinally.
Alterative  Anaphrodisiac  Antibacterial  Antiseptic  Antitumor  Cholagogue  Depurative  Diuretic  
Dysentery  Expectorant  Febrifuge  Laxative  Salve  Tonic

The root and root bark is alterative, anaphrodisiac, antiseptic, cholagogue, depurative, diuretic, expectorant, febrifuge, laxative and tonic[4, 238]. It improves the digestion and absorption and is taken internally in the treatment of coughs, fevers, psoriasis, syphilis, haemorrhages, stomach complaints, kidney problems and impure blood conditions[4, 238, 257]. Externally, it is used as an antiseptic and healing wash or poultice on wounds and rheumatic joints[257]. The roots are harvested in late autumn or early spring and dried for later use[238]. A poultice of the fresh berries has been applied to boils[257]. Berberine, universally present in rhizomes of Mahonia species, has marked antibacterial effects[218] and is used as a bitter tonic[213]. Since it is not appreciably absorbed by the body, it is used orally in the treatment of various enteric infections, especially bacterial dysentery[218]. It should not be used with Glycyrrhiza species (Liquorice) because this nullifies the effects of the berberine[218]. Berberine has also shown antitumour activity[218]. The root and root bark are best harvested in the autumn[213].

Dye  Oil  Soil stabilization

Creeping barberry is a vital forest groundcover that unites beauty, utility, and resilience. Its berries offer modest but valuable nutrition, while its evergreen foliage enriches soil health and biodiversity. For gardeners and foragers alike, it represents the intersection of ecological function and edible potential. Agroforestry uses: Mahonia can be used as a hedge or ornamental plant and provides ground cover. The dense foliage offers shelter for wildlife and beneficial insects, and the berries attract birds. Landscape Uses: Border, Erosion control, Ground cover, Massing. A yellow dye is obtained from the inner bark of the stem and roots[155, 257]. It is green[168]. Dark green, violet and dark blue-purple dyes are obtained from the fruit[168]. A green dye is obtained from the leaves[168]. Plants form suckers freely, making a good dense ground cover[11, 200], though they can be slow to become established[197] and will need weeding for their first few years after planting out[K]. The sub-species M. repens rotundifolia has been especially recommended[197]. A useful plant for preventing soil erosion on slopes[155]. 1. Nectary - Flowers rich in nectar and pollen: Yes – Mahonia species produce clusters of yellow flowers that are rich in nectar and attract a variety of pollinators, especially bees and butterflies. 2. Wildlife - Food (Fruit, Seeds, Leaf litter, Shelter, Nesting, Roosting): Yes – The berries of Mahonia species are edible for birds and other wildlife, making them an important food source. The dense evergreen foliage also provides excellent shelter for small birds and insects, and it can offer nesting and roosting sites for birds. 3. Invertebrate Shelter (Overwintering sites, Leaf litter, Groundcover): Yes – The evergreen foliage and rough stems of Mahonia provide overwintering sites for invertebrates. The leaf litter from these plants can create a microhabitat for insects and small ground-dwelling organisms. 4. Pest Confuser (Smell): No – Mahonia species do not have a particularly strong or confusing scent that would act as a pest deterrent. Ecologically, it is one of the most important understory shrubs in western forests, stabilizing soil and providing food and habitat for wildlife. Cultivar / Selection Notes: Cultivated selections exist for ornamental use, often labeled “Oregon Grape.” Notable forms include those with red winter foliage or denser mat-forming growth. Cultivars such as Mahonia repens ‘Compacta’ or ‘Nana’ are popular in cold-climate landscaping.

Special Uses

Food Forest  Ground cover  Scented Plants