We never know who to blame (or, rarely, thank) for roadside or median plantings. State D.O.T.? Local municipality? Subcontractor to either of the previous?
A few years ago, this appeared in the median of the Highway 460 bypass – the main road leading to Virginia Tech:
I am somehow reminded of Sideshow Bob from The Simpsons…
Two hedge rows. One of green Japanese barberry (Berberis thunbergii, cultivar unknown); the other of the purple form (Berberis thunbergii var. atropurpurea) Side by side, they make their way up the median, alternating from the right-hand side of the culvert to the left, like two caterpillars in love. Ooooh, lovely! Or at least SOMEBODY thought so.
Issues: 1) Barberry is a prolific fruit-setter and has made several state’s “Invasives” list. It’s outright prohibited in Massachussettes (can’t buy, sell, or import it). In our Blue Ridge Mountains of southwestern Virginia, it is popping up with startling regularity in state forests, road sides, open fields, etc. Interestingly, most of what I’ve seen is the purple form. 2) It’s very thorny. Which means most of the time it is adorned with plastic bags and other perforatable garbage. 3) They are actually mulching, pruning, and weeding this mess, which stretches for at least 2 miles. Best use of state budget/manpower??
I realize purple Japanese barberry is one of the bread-and-butter staples of many nurseries and garden designers. Folks just love the deep reddish-purple foliage. Virginia Tech’s school colors are maroon and orange, so this is the go-to shrub for campus landscapers and ardent alumni desiring that particular color scheme (see below for our “living VT”). Very fun! Growing next to a trillium on our section of the Appalachian Trail? Not so much.
Approximately one gazillion people get their photo made next to the VT logo each year – pretty good public relations for a noxious weed.
You have to admit that the pruning on the VT logo shrub is pretty impressing. Maybe it's just that the photograph was taken from far away, but those are some pretty tightly clipped hedges! 😉
Yikes, who knew!! I just planted several more barberry shrubs here in suburban Mpls. The one I had was very well behaved so I've added more. Maybe too cold to be a problem here?
Thank you for mentioning this issue. Barberry is a nuisance here in Massachusetts. Marte, it's likely a nuisance where you are, as well. What you aren't seeing is where the birds are pooping all of those seeds.