PlantLegitBarberry and burning bush replacements: native shrubs to plant instead
Short answer: Japanese barberry and burning bush are banned or scheduled for ban in many states (e.g. Connecticut from Oct 1, 2028[4]; Michigan restricts barberry from Jan 1, 2028[5]; both are on Pennsylvania's noxious weed list, which bars sale, transport and planting, with approved exempt barberry cultivars[6]). Native swaps with Extension-verified zones are below, with deer and pet flags.
Sources (6)
- [1] NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox
- [2] Rutgers deer ratings – extension.rutgers.edu
- [3] ASPCA Toxic and Non-Toxic Plants List
- [4] Conn. Gen. Stat. § 22a-381d(b)(4) (barberry & winged euonymus from Oct 1, 2028) – Connecticut General Assembly
- [5] MDARD order, May 2026 (Commission vote May 20, 2026; Japanese barberry restricted from Jan 1, 2028) – Michigan Department of Agriculture & Rural Development (Michigan.gov)
- [6] PDA Controlled Plant & Noxious Weed Lists – Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture
Checked 2026-10-15. Informational only, not legal or professional advice.
Instead of Japanese barberry
| Plant | Zones | Type | Height | Deer (Rutgers) | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Inkberry Ilex glabra not in ASPCA list | 4–11 | shrub | 5 ft - 10 ft tall | B | NC State Ext. |
| Fragrant sumac Rhus aromatica not in ASPCA list | 3–9 | shrub | 2 ft - 6 ft tall | A | NC State Ext. |
| Black chokeberry Aronia melanocarpa not in ASPCA list | 3–8 | shrub | 3 ft - 10 ft tall | not rated | NC State Ext. |
| New Jersey tea Ceanothus americanus not in ASPCA list | 4–8 | shrub | 2 ft - 3 ft tall | not rated | NC State Ext. |
| Ninebark Physocarpus opulifolius not in ASPCA list | 2–8 | shrub | 5 ft - 8 ft tall | not rated | NC State Ext. |
| Shrubby St. John's-wort Hypericum prolificum not in ASPCA list | 3–8 | shrub | 1 ft - 5 ft tall | B | NC State Ext. |
| Instead of burning bush (winged euonymus) | |||||
| Black chokeberry Aronia melanocarpa not in ASPCA list | 3–8 | shrub | 3 ft - 10 ft tall | not rated | NC State Ext. |
| Winterberry Ilex verticillata not in ASPCA list | 3–9 | shrub | 3 ft - 15 ft tall | B | NC State Ext. |
| Arrowwood viburnum Viburnum dentatum not in ASPCA list | 2–8 | shrub | 5 ft - 10 ft tall | A | NC State Ext. |
| Virginia sweetspire Itea virginica not in ASPCA list | 5–9 | shrub | 4 ft - 8 ft tall | B | NC State Ext. |
| Strawberry bush Euonymus americanus not in ASPCA list | 6–9 | shrub | 4 ft - 6 ft tall | not rated | NC State Ext. |
| Spicebush Lindera benzoin not in ASPCA list | 5–9 | shrub | 8 ft - 15 ft tall | B | NC State Ext. |
| Fragrant sumac Rhus aromatica not in ASPCA list | 3–9 | shrub | 2 ft - 6 ft tall | A | NC State Ext. |
No plants match.
Zones/height: NC State Extension[1]. Deer: Rutgers[2]. Pets: ASPCA[3]. Native range varies by state — see per-state swaps: barberry, burning bush.
Where Japanese barberry is regulated
| State | Status (PlantLegit dataset) |
|---|---|
| Connecticut | Japanese barberry — prohibited from Oct 1, 2028 — Scheduled prohibition (Conn. Gen. Stat. § 22a-381d(b)(3)–(5)) — legal to sell until the date shown |
| Delaware | Japanese barberry — Invasive Plant List (3 Del. C. § 2903; 3 DE Admin. Code 806) — no import, export, buying, selling, transport, distribution or propagation |
| Indiana | Japanese barberry — Prohibited invasive terrestrial plant (312 IAC 18-3-25) — no selling, gifting, bartering, exchanging, distributing, transporting or introducing |
| Maine | Japanese barberry — Do Not Sell list (01-001 CMR ch. 273) — no import, export, buying, selling or propagating for sale; includes all cultivars, varieties and hybrids |
| Maryland | Japanese barberry — listed effective 1/15/2026; existing nursery stock phase-out: potted by 1/15/2027, in-ground by 1/15/2028 (MDA table) — Prohibited invasive plant (MD Consolidated List) |
| Massachusetts | Japanese barberry — Prohibited plant (MDAR Massachusetts Prohibited Plant List) — no sale, import, trade, purchase, distribution or propagation |
| Michigan | Japanese barberry — restricted from January 1, 2028 — Restricted species (MCL 324.41301) — no introduction, import, sale or intentional propagation |
| Minnesota | Japanese barberry — listed cultivars banned now; all non-exempt cultivars may be sold through Dec 31, 2028 and are banned from Jan 1, 2029; some seedless cultivars exempt (see exemptions) — Restricted noxious weed (MDA list) — no import, sale or transport |
| New Hampshire | Japanese barberry — Prohibited invasive plant (N.H. Admin. R. Agr 3802.01) — no collecting, moving, importing, exporting, buying, selling, distributing, propagating or transplanting; includes all cultivars and varieties |
| New Jersey | Japanese barberry — Prohibited invasive species (Invasive Species Management Act, 2026) |
| New York | Japanese Barberry — Prohibited (6 NYCRR 575.3) — no sale, import, purchase, transport, introduction or propagation |
| Pennsylvania | Japanese barberry — listed October 2021; enforcement of sale ban began Oct 9, 2023 (52 Pa.B. 3110); approved sterile cultivars exempt — Class B noxious weed (PDA Controlled Plant & Noxious Weed List, 3 Pa.C.S. § 1511) — cannot be sold, transported, planted or otherwise propagated in Pennsylvania |
| Vermont | Japanese barberry — Quarantine List Tier 3 (widespread in VT) — Regulated Introduced Plant Species Rule; no cultivation, distribution or transport |
| Virginia | Japanese barberry — signage required from Jan 1, 2027 — Retail invasive-plant signage (Va. Code § 3.2-3801.1, effective Jan 1, 2027) — sale allowed, but retailers must post an "invasive" sign at the display; not a sale ban |
| West Virginia | Japanese barberry — the Commissioner may exempt sterile cultivars — Noxious weed (W. Va. Code R. § 61-14A-5) — no moving, shipping or delivering into or within WV without a permit |
| Wisconsin | Japanese barberry (listed 5/1/2015) — only the parent type, var. atropurpurea, the B. thunbergii x koreana hybrid and specific named cultivars (e.g. Rose Glow, Crimson Velvet, Golden Carousel) are restricted; other cultivars are not — Restricted invasive plant (NR 40) — no transport, transfer (including sale) or introduction without a permit |
Where burning bush is regulated
| State | Status (PlantLegit dataset) |
|---|---|
| Connecticut | winged euonymus — prohibited from Oct 1, 2028 — Scheduled prohibition (Conn. Gen. Stat. § 22a-381d(b)(3)–(5)) — legal to sell until the date shown |
| Delaware | winged euonymus — Invasive Plant List (3 Del. C. § 2903; 3 DE Admin. Code 806) — no import, export, buying, selling, transport, distribution or propagation |
| Maine | winged euonymus — Do Not Sell list (01-001 CMR ch. 273) — no import, export, buying, selling or propagating for sale; includes all cultivars, varieties and hybrids |
| Maryland | Burning bush, winged euonymus — listed effective 1/15/2026; existing nursery stock phase-out: potted by 1/15/2027, in-ground by 1/15/2028 (MDA table) — Prohibited invasive plant (MD Consolidated List) |
| Massachusetts | burning bush, winged euonymus — Prohibited plant (MDAR Massachusetts Prohibited Plant List) — no sale, import, trade, purchase, distribution or propagation |
| Minnesota | winged burning bush (exemptions: ZeroSeed Blaze™, Fire Ball Seedless™ 'NCEA1') — Restricted noxious weed (MDA list) — no import, sale or transport |
| Missouri | Burning bush — statute names Euonymus alatus 'Compactus' — prohibited from January 1, 2029 — Nursery-dealer prohibition (RSMo § 263.070.5(1)(d)) — registered nursery dealers may not knowingly import, export, buy, sell, transport, distribute or propagate it |
| New Hampshire | burning bush — Prohibited invasive plant (N.H. Admin. R. Agr 3802.01) — no collecting, moving, importing, exporting, buying, selling, distributing, propagating or transplanting; includes all cultivars and varieties |
| New Jersey | Winged burning bush — Prohibited invasive species (Invasive Species Management Act, 2026) |
| New York | Burning bush — Regulated (6 NYCRR 575.4) — legal to sell, but may not be released into a free-living state; must carry an invasive-species label |
| Pennsylvania | Burning bush — listed effective Jan 11, 2023 (60 days after 52 Pa.B. 7000, Nov 12, 2022) — Class B noxious weed (PDA Controlled Plant & Noxious Weed List, 3 Pa.C.S. § 1511) — cannot be sold, transported, planted or otherwise propagated in Pennsylvania |
| Vermont | burning bush — Quarantine List Tier 3 (widespread in VT) — Regulated Introduced Plant Species Rule; no cultivation, distribution or transport |
| Virginia | Burning bush — signage required from Jan 1, 2027 — Retail invasive-plant signage (Va. Code § 3.2-3801.1, effective Jan 1, 2027) — sale allowed, but retailers must post an "invasive" sign at the display; not a sale ban |
| Wisconsin | Burning bush (listed 5/1/2015) — restricted: the species and the cultivar 'Nordine' only; other cultivars excluded — Restricted invasive plant (NR 40) — no transport, transfer (including sale) or introduction without a permit |
Some states exempt specific seedless/sterile cultivars (noted in the row). Each state page links the official source.
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