Berry bushes look attractive and can benefit wildlife, but some do more harm than good, invading natural areas and even poisoning birds.
It’s hard to dislike any fruiting shrub. They provide food for wildlife, are usually easy to care for and grow quickly. But, some nonnative species are just too tenacious, and their rapid spread can choke out native plants.
“Every gardener wants to attract birds and add color to their yard, but often the most common nursery shrub is actually the worst choice,” says Mary Phillips of the National Wildlife Federation. “These invasive shrubs create food deserts, with berries that are often nothing more than junk food for wildlife, lacking the high-fat calories birds desperately need for migration and winter survival.”
Here are some problematic berry bushes to avoid, plus some native ones to plant in their place.
Editor’s Note: To find species native to your area, try the National Wildlife Federation’s Native Plant Finder. And when in doubt, consult the Invasive Plant Atlas of the United States and the United States Department of Agriculture Plant Database.
Japanese Barberry
Berberis thunbergii
Gardeners choose this thorny, dense, shrub for its deer resistance, fall foliage and red berries. But Japanese barberry is classified as invasive in 20 Midwestern and northeastern states. As its seeds are spread by birds, the bush overtakes woodlands, crowding out native plants and preventing forest regeneration.
“The dense, low-growing foliage and branches also create a humid, sheltered microclimate that is ideal for the survival and proliferation of the blacklegged tick (deer tick), the primary vector for Lyme disease,” says Mary.
Instead try: native viburnum, for similar fall color with higher nutritional value. Also look for newer sterile seedless barberry cultivars.
Common Buckthorn
Rhamnus cathartica
Common buckthorn is a popular choice for hedges and windbreaks because it grows quickly and keeps its dense, glossy leaves late into the fall. But this Eurasian native is highly aggressive and its small, black berries can be toxic to birds. Ironically, it depends primarily on birds to disburse its seeds.
Common buckthorn is problematic in northern and central states, where it “shades out native plants, harms habitat quality and alters soil chemistry, making it difficult for native trees and wildflowers to return,” says Spencer Campbell of The Morton Arboretum.
Instead try: winterberry holly, a native with berries healthy for birds.
Autumn Olive
Elaeagnus umbellata
Autumn olive was once widely used for erosion control, plus gardeners also like its fragrant yellow flowers, silvery-bottom leaves and abundant red berries. But its ability to escape cultivation has made it a problem across the eastern and Midwestern US, where it has invaded prairies, savannas and open woodlands.
“It outcompetes native vegetation and alters nitrogen levels in soils,” says Spencer. “Of note, the berries are edible, but harvesting them does not meaningfully reduce its spread.”
Instead try: chokecherry, a native with ample berries and flowers, or these other top shrubs with red berries.
Multiflora Rose
Rosa multiflora
Once lauded as a solution for erosion control and natural fencing, multiflora rose shrubs are now cursed across the eastern U.S. for their sprawling, thorny thickets, which displace native plants and choke fields and pastures.
“The white flowers are pleasant in bloom, but the plant’s aggressive growth makes it extremely difficult to control and remove,” says Spencer. “Its thorns can also cause injury to humans and animals.”
Instead try: smooth rose, a native with pink flowers for pollinators and rose hips for birds.
Heavenly Bamboo
Nandina domestica
Heavenly bamboo is easy to care for, with attractive bamboo-like foliage, but it presents a grave danger to wildlife, says Mary. “The berries are toxic to birds when consumed in large quantities, especially in winter when food is scarce, and can be lethal to flocking birds such as cedar waxwings,” she says.
Heavenly bamboo spreads both from seed dispersal and root shoots, forming dense thickets that crowd out native plants, especially in the Mid-Atlantic and southeastern U.S.
Instead try: spicebush, a native with berries that humans can also use for cooking and teas.
Himalayan Blackberry
Rubus bifrons
Blackberries are delicious, so it’s hard to imagine any species being problematic. But the Himalayan version is hailed as one of the Pacific Northwest’s most invasive weeds. It spreads prolifically as birds and other wildlife (even banana slugs) carry its seeds far and wide. And in just two years, a single plant can grow a dense thicket bigger than a king-size bed, overtaking native plants and making it difficult for animals to pass through.
Instead try: native trailing (Pacific) blackberries, which are smaller but still tasty.
READ ON: Should you grow a mulberry tree? See the pros and cons.
About the Experts
- Spencer Campbell is the Arboretum Plant Clinic Manager at The Morton Arboretum in Lisle, Illinois. The Plant Clinic is a free nationwide service providing home gardeners and green professionals with plant and growing advice.
- Mary Phillips is head of native plant habitat strategy/certifications at the National Wildlife Federation. As an ambassador for nature, she keeps habitat gardening programs flourishing with sustainable practices and ever-evolving scientific knowledge.
