Japanese Barberry Increases the Risk of Lyme Disease!!!

2 more pictures above! :)

What a pretty plant. They are very hardy too, and I was seriously considering getting some for around here since they grow well, don't need much water, and are deer resistant. However, when I did some reading about this plant, I found out that there is a much higher risk of getting Lyme Disease where these plants grow because they create a cool, moist microclimate that ticks like. Ticks on my property already carry Lyme Disease and the last thing I want to do is increase their population!

Also, these plants are invasive and spread easily, forcing out native plants. Maybe not the best choice after all. If you would like to read the article I found, here's a link: Japanese-Barberry--A Ticking Time Bomb