Shrubs List |
Broadleaf List |
SemiEvergreen List |
Barberry Family [Berberidaceae] |
Flowers: |
Berries: (bluish-black, elliptic, symmetric) |
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12th Nov 2013, Strawberry Hill, Strines, Gtr M/cr. | Photo: © RWD |
A garden shrub to 3m in height (the very similar Gagnepain's Barberryis half that height). |
12th Nov 2013, Strawberry Hill, Strines, Gtr M/cr. | Photo: © RWD |
12th Nov 2013, Strawberry Hill, Strines, Gtr M/cr. | Photo: © RWD |
Leaves of various sizes presented in rosettes on the uppermost surface of the branch. Flowers, then berries on short stalks, radiant from the centre. |
19th March 2009, a garden, Heaton Bridge, Lancs. | Photo: © RWD |
Flowers rather pale yellow. Leaves tending to deep scarlet red. |
12th Nov 2013, Strawberry Hill, Strines, Gtr M/cr. | Photo: © RWD |
Branches are fluted (raised ridges) one of the features distinguishing it from that of the very similar Gagnepain's Barberry. |
12th Nov 2013, Strawberry Hill, Strines, Gtr M/cr. | Photo: © RWD |
A multitude of long, three-pronged spines protect the plant from predators. Leaves often have in-rolled margins. |
12th Nov 2013, Strawberry Hill, Strines, Gtr M/cr. | Photo: © RWD |
Spine triplets set at right-angles (3-partite). |
12th Nov 2013, Strawberry Hill, Strines, Gtr M/cr. | Photo: © RWD |
Spines mainly 3-partite rather than simple. |
12th Nov 2013, Strawberry Hill, Strines, Gtr M/cr. | Photo: © RWD |
Berries cylindrical to ellipsoidal, not mis-shapen, on short red stalks. They have a bluish-white bloom and a fawn-coloured annular ring on a very short pedestal (the style) at the end. |
12th Nov 2013, Strawberry Hill, Strines, Gtr M/cr. | Photo: © RWD |
Leaves obovate, shiny and dark-green, (unlike the otherwise very similar Gagnepain's Barberrywhich has matte and narrower leaves). Short, narrow forwardly-directed fawn-coloured prickly spines adorn the edges. Leaves with double-aerofoil profile. |
12th Nov 2013, Strawberry Hill, Strines, Gtr M/cr. | Photo: © RWD |
Plant is semi-evergreen, some leaves turn a brilliant red approaching Winter. |
29th March 2014, dry section of MB&BC, Bury, Gtr M/cr. | Photo: © RWD |
Only a few leaves seem to go a brilliant scarlet red, but then it is Spring, rather than approaching Winter. |
25th March 2012, municipal gardens, Adlington, Lancs. | Photo: © RWD |
Flowers in clusters of up to 25. |
25th March 2012, municipal gardens, Adlington, Lancs. | Photo: © RWD |
Flowers are in small groupings on short stalks emerging from the leaf axils. |
25th Feb 2014, Salterhebble Locks, Rochdale Canal. | Photo: © RWD |
Flower buds greenish at first, emerging from a sheath of brilliant-red over-lapping scales. |
25th March 2012, municipal gardens, Adlington, Lancs. | Photo: © RWD |
Flowers emerge from the middle of a rosette of leaves. |
29th March 2014, dry section of MB&BC, Bury, Gtr M/cr. | Photo: © RWD |
Open flowers characterised by a large central lime-green style within. |
29th March 2014, dry section of MB&BC, Bury, Gtr M/cr. | Photo: © RWD |
With five long yellow anthers tucked within the semi-oval petals. |
Not to be semantically confused with : Bearberry (Arctostaphylos uva-ursi) [a sub-shrub with similar name]
Easily mis-identified as : The flowers are very similar to those of ordinary Barberry, yellow and never fully opening, but appearing like small globes. It escapes from gardens occasionally to be found by roadsides or on walls.
Your Author is not entirely convinced that the Barberry found in the municipal roadside 'gardens' at Adlington are those of Chinese Barberry rather than a similar-looking cultivar or other man-made hybrid, since the leaves are not as long as they perhaps should be in relation to their width, nor are they perhaps as shiny or as dark as they perhaps should be, nor are the prickles on the leaves perhaps as forwardly-directed as maybe they should be. But they are close. They may be less dark because they are out in the open daylight all day, rather than in a woods like those from Strawberry Hill. Whatever, the shrub is definitely not that of |
Berberis | julianae | ⇐ Global Aspect ⇒ | Berberidaceae |
Berberis (Barberry) |
Barberry Family [Berberidaceae] |