Tribal Nations Botanical Research Collaborative's Journal

Sometimes there are botanical treasures hidden in plain sight. I think of our native barberry species (Berberis spp.) as one of these treasures. Commonly used as low-maintenance ornamental plants, barberry shrubs can be seen in parking lots and other landscaped areas, as well as their native range in the desert grasslands and pinyon-juniper woodlands of the region.

There are at least a couple species in our area (B. fremontii and B. haematocarpa), both with evergreen leathery leaves with pokey margins. Their bright yellow flowers appear in late spring to early summer. The flowers produce edible berries that can be made into jams (though watch out for the large seeds!). The roots contain an intensely yellow-colored alkaloid called berberine which has numerous medicinal uses--it can be made into a tonic to treat fevers, constipation, mucosa (i.e. the membranes that line our organs) inflammation, and hangovers.

Keep an eye out for this special plant the next time you are hiking in the woodlands, or just running errands around town!

Here in the southwest, when many of us think of juniper, we think of a tree. Maybe a shrubby sort of tree branching from the base with shaggy strips of bark like one-seed juniper (Juniperus monosperma) or Utah juniper (J. osteosperma). Or maybe we picture the reptilian-inspired bark of the alligator juniper (J. deppeana). Then there’s the droopy-branched Rocky Mountain juniper (J. scopulorum) found in canyon bottoms in our area. But we might not think of what is actually the most globally-widespread juniper, common juniper (Juniperus communis). Common juniper is often used in landscaping and can also be found in mountain habitats at elevations up to over 11,000 feet.

It is perhaps most famous for its use in flavoring gin (cheers!), but along with its relatives listed above, it offers many other benefits. The leaves and berries can be used medicinally to treat urinary tract infections, though they should be avoided if a person has any kidney issues or during pregnancy. Juniper is also used by many cultures as an aromatic herb to ward off negative forces. The berries which have a sharply bitter taste are also used to flavor game meat.