description
Barberry is a small and bushy deciduous evergreen shrub belonging to the
Berberidaceae family growing up to 4 m high. The leaves are small oval, 2–5
cm long and 1–2 cm broad, with a serrated margin; they are borne in clusters
of 2-5 together, subtended by a three-branched spine 3–8 mm long. The
flowers are yellow, 4–6 mm across, produced on 3–6 cm long panicles in late
spring. The fruit is an oblong red berry 7–10 mm long and 3–5 mm broad,
ripening in late summer or autumn; they are edible but very sour, and rich
in Vitamin C.
common names
& nomenclature
Carl Linnaeus gave barberries their generic name Berberis after a North African
nomad tribe. He thought these plants originated from Africa.
However, the 11th century monk Constantinus Africanus (Constantine the African) had already used the name
Berberis in his own book on plants. However, in his case the name probably
derived from the word ‘barbarian’.
Other sources say the name derives from the Berber word
meaning 'shell', and indeed that the plant's name is related to that of the Barbary
coast.
Also known as:
barberry,
mountain grape,
kingor,
daruhaldi,
daruharidra,
berberis,
european barberry,
jaundice berry,
pepperidge bush,
sowberry,
sow berry,
and
berberis dumetorum
