Dull Oregon-grape is a small shrub that like its close relative—tall Oregon-grape—produces yellow flowers and blue berries. The dull Oregon-grape is shorter and grows in a variety of forest conditions ranging from dry to fairly moist and at low to middle elevations in the southern coast region. As with the tall Oregon-grape, the leaves of dull Oregon-grape have spiny teeth at their edges, somewhat like those of English holly (Ilex aquifolium).