Common barberry

Synonyms: Berberis jacquinii hort. ex K.Koch, Berberis sanguinea hort. ex K.Koch, Berberis vulgaris f. atropurpurea Regel, Berberis vulgaris var. purpurea Bertin ex Jacques & Hérincq

Berberis vulgaris – a species of barberry in the genus Berberis (Berberis) of the family Berberidaceae. Native to Western Asia, the Transcaucasus, and Eastern, Central and Southern Europe. Grows on slopes, forest edges and meadows; ascends into the mountains to an altitude of up to 2000 m above sea level. Also grows on river shingle and chalk outcrops. In cultivation since 1894.

It is a tall, vigorously branching shrub with a spreading crown, reaching 2.5–3 m in height. Grows rapidly. Shoots erect, yellowish or yellow-purple, later white-gray, angular, bearing 3–5-parted spines, which are modified leaves. Rhizome creeping, becoming woody.

Buds alternate, without silvery scales, loose, acute, naked, up to 1 mm long, surrounded by expanded persistent leaf bases, grow in the axils of the spines and are spirally surrounded by leaf cushions. On short shoots normal leaves grow, and on elongated shoots – spines. Spines three-parted, up to 2 cm long. Leaf scar with 3 marks. Pith white. Wood yellow or greenish-yellow, with distinct medullary rays.

Leaves alternate, obovate-oblong to oblong-elliptic, oblong-ovate, ovate-elliptic-lanceolate or oval, thin, membranous, less often semi-leathery, 3–6 cm long and 1–2 cm wide, narrowed cuneately into a short petiole at the ends, acute or obtuse, evenly toothed along the margins, ciliate-finely serrate, more rarely nearly entire, dull and slightly glossy above.

Entomophilous. Flowers in May–June. Inflorescences simple, consisting of 15–25 flowers, gathered in racemes, 3–6 cm long. Flowers three-parted, with a double perianth, 9–10 mm in diameter. Sepals obovate. Petals 6, yellow, entire, obovate, with 2 nectar glands at the base. Stamens 6, arranged in 2 whorls. Pistil with a sessile stigma and a superior one-celled ovary composed of a single carpel (9, 10, 11)

Fruits – elongate fleshy berry-like one-seeded fruits, 9–10 mm long, purple or dark red, with a slight waxy bloom. Seeds ovate, dark brown, 5–6 mm long, finely wrinkled. Fruits ripen in late July – August.

2n=28

Forms: f. albo-variegata, f. aureo-marginata, f. atropurpurea, Berberis vulgaris var. asperma, f. Alba, f. lutea.

Hybrids: Barberry provincialis (B. × provincialis), with Berberis thunbergii DC. – Berberis × ottawensis C.K. Schneid., with Mahonia aquifolium (Pursh) Nutt. – Berberis × neubertii É.N. Baumann ex Lem.

Botanical illustration from O. W. Tomé's book "Flora von Deutschland, Österreich und der Schweiz", 1885

Hardiness zone: 3. May be damaged in severe winters.

Location/exposure: prefers bright and dry places. Heat-resistant, winter-hardy, drought-tolerant. Does not tolerate prolonged wetness. Grows well on steep, open slopes with moderate steppe-like or dry-meadow moisture. The plant is light-demanding but shade-tolerant; it does not fruit in shade. Prefers neutral or slightly alkaline, fairly rich soils, but also grows on sparsely vegetated rocky slopes, screes and cliffs.

Planting: planting is best done in spring or autumn. If soil pH is above 7, liming the soil is recommended. Planting mix: peat, topsoil, humus, 400 g slaked lime (if pH>7) and 200 g wood ash. Dimensions of the planting hole: 40x40 cm. For single planting, the distance between plants should be 1.5–2 m. To create a hedge, prepare a trench and place bushes at a rate of 2 plants per linear meter.

Care: care consists of shallow loosening of the planting area and mulching. Watering is recommended at least once a week with 2–3 buckets per plant. In spring, one year after planting, nitrogen-containing fertilizers can be applied. Subsequent nitrogen fertilization should be carried out no earlier than every 3–4 years.

Pruning: tolerates trimming well.

Propagation: by seed and vegetatively.

Diseases: bacterial canker, powdery mildew, Septoria leaf spot, infectious dieback of branches, Phyllosticta leaf spot, leaf spot diseases, rust fungus Puccinia graminis.

Pests: barberry aphid, barberry sawfly, barberry fruit moth, leaf-eating insects.

Uses: Good honey plant. The underground part of common barberry is widely used in medicine. In landscape design used in parks and gardens, in solitary plantings on lawns, and for urban greening. In summer ornamental due to its yellow inflorescences, which attract a large number of bees; in autumn notable for its brightly colored leaves and fruits.