VALUE AND USE
SPECIES: Berberis nervosa | Dwarf Oregon-Grape 



WOOD PRODUCTS VALUE : 
NO-ENTRY


IMPORTANCE TO LIVESTOCK AND WILDLIFE : 
In many parts of the Pacific Northwest, Douglas-fir-western
hemlock/dwarf Oregon-grape and western hemlock/dwarf Oregon-grape-salal
habitat types provide important big game wintering areas [43,85].
Stands often offer good structural diversity and remain relatively
snow-free [43].  However, where dense shrub thickets develop, big game
use may be limited [42].  Western hemlock/dwarf Oregon-grape-Oregon
oxalis and western hemlock/dwarf Oregon-grape-deerfoot vanillaleaf types
serve as big game summer range [43].
            
Browse:  In some areas, dwarf Oregon-grape is browsed by black-tailed
deer [12,87].  In other locations it is seldom used [45].  Harcombe [37]
reported moderate use of dwarf Oregon-grape by Roosevelt elk during
winter but not in the spring or summer [37].  Various small mammals feed
extensively on the foliage.  It is, for example, an extremely important
dietary component of the white-footed vole in the Coast Ranges of Oregon
[88].  Dwarf Oregon-grape comprised 32 percent of the vole's diet in
February but declined to 17 percent by June.  The value of dwarf
Oregon-grape browse to domestic livestock is apparently low in most
locations.  Utilization by domestic sheep in the Cascade Ranges in
Washington may reach 6.8 to 23.7 percent [49].  The fruits are readily
eaten by many small birds [63] and mammals.  In some areas, black-tailed
deer also eat the fruits [12].  The nectar of several species within the
genus Berberis is favored by the Anna's hummingbird [55].


PALATABILITY : 
Dwarf Oregon-grape browse is relatively low in palatability to most big
game species and domestic livestock [49,67].  The fruit is palatable to
a wide range of birds and mammals.


NUTRITIONAL VALUE : 
Browse:  The nutrient content of dwarf Oregon-grape browse has been
documented as follows [76]:

                  average percent by weight -

            N      P      Mg     Ca     Na       K

stem       .44    .10    .05    .29    .0040    .51
foliage    .85    .12    .09    .24    .0020    .87

Nutrient content of fruit is listed below [70,94]:

              nutrient content per gram dry weight
kjoule    cal.   protein   carbo.  ash   lipid   Ca     Fe    Mg   Zn
x 1,000          (g)       (g)     (g)   (g)    (mg)   (mg)  (mg)  (mg)

15.86     3.79   0.18      0.71   0.04   0.08   1.91   0.03  0.85   0.05


carbo.    fat    ash      N      P      K      Ca      Mg    Na
                        (percent dry weight)

78.0      1.70   7.40   1.60    0.50   2.70    0.20   0.30    0


COVER VALUE : 
Dwarf Oregon-grape presumably provides cover for small birds and
mammals.  The diverse structure of western hemlock/dwarf
Oregon-grape-salal types provides good big game hiding cover [2].
Pacific silver fir/dwarf Oregon-grape and western hemlock/dwarf
Oregon-grape-Oregon oxalis communities offer good thermal cover for deer
and elk [41,43].


VALUE FOR REHABILITATION OF DISTURBED SITES : 
Dwarf Oregon-grape can be easily propagated from seed and from rhizome
or stem cuttings [15,75,80].  However, plants may be slow to establish
[56].  Detailed information on propagation techniques is available
[15,75,80,81].


OTHER USES AND VALUES : 
Dwarf Oregon-grape fruits are tart but edible [35].  Native peoples of
the Pacific Northwest traditionally ate the fruits and made medicinal
teas from the boiled roots [35,70].  Dyes for baskets were also obtained
from the roots [35].

Dwarf Oregon-grape is a popular ornamental.  It is well suited for shady
locations and is widely planted in gardens throughout the Pacific
Northwest.  Its attractive foliage and short stature make it a
particularly effective border plant [56].  Although it multiplies well
under cultivation, it does not form dense thickets.  Foliage often turns
a striking reddish-purple in winter after exposure to cold temperatures
[81].


MANAGEMENT CONSIDERATIONS : 
Timber harvest:  Dwarf Oregon-grape commonly persists on cutover sites
[54,58].  In many parts of British Columbia and the Pacific Northwest, it
assumes prominence in brushfields made up of such species as salal,
bracken fern (Pteridium aquilinum), blackberries and raspberries (Rubus
spp.), fireweed (Epilobium angustifolium), huckleberries (Vaccinium
spp.), and willows (Salix spp.) [43,54].  Brushfield species may compete
with conifer regeneration in some locations [43].

Biomass:  The green weight of dwarf Oregon-grape has been estimated at
130 pounds per acre (145 kg/ha) in certain western hemlock types of
Oregon [43].

Grazing:  Grazing by domestic sheep apparently has little effect on
dwarf Oregon-grape [49].

Chemical control:  Percent frequency following herbicide applications
combined with mechanical treatment or fire in central coastal Oregon was
as follows [51]:

                  glyphosate        spray and burn          spray and crush

   pretreatment         13               13                        9
   posttreatment        --                3                       --

The effects of various herbicides on Berberis spp. have been considered
in detail [10].

Related categories for Species: Berberis nervosa | Dwarf Oregon-Grape