Native to China, this evergreen shrub is commonly used in landscaping but has become invasive in the Southeast. This is an informal, multi-stemmed, shrub with irregular, strong upright stems. Leaves are holly-like and spiny. Yellow blooms appear in late winter and grape-like fruits appear in late summer. It is often mistaken for Japanese Mahonia (Berberis japonica) which is also used as an ornamental. It has shown invasive qualities as well and both should be avoided in the landscape.
