There are a multitude of cultivars of Ninebark which offer excellent substitutes for Barberry. The foliage of 'Tiny Wine', 'Diablo', and 'Summer Wine' is excellent for those looking for the distinct purple-red foliage of many Barberries. The cultivars offer an array of mature sizes, allowing this plant to fit into a myriad of spaces.

Want that spectacular red color with the added benefit of edible landscapes? Why not try the Highbush Blueberry in place of the incredible invasive and "dead space" plant that is Burning Bush? There are many cultivars of this plant, and even if you are not a fan of blueberries, the birds will thank you!

An undervalued native tree, Staghorn Sumac has a brilliant autumn color and a graceful umbrella shape. Another edible native, a popular "sumac lemonade" can be made from the fruits. And again, the birds will consume those fruits if you don't. Rhus typhina 'Laciniata' or Cutleaf Staghorn Sumac is a particularly elegant cultivars, whose leaves evoke the lace-like foliage of a Japanese Maple.