categoryZShrubs Shrubs List 
categoryZEvergreen Evergreen List 

HEDGE BARBERRY

Berberis × stenophylla

Barberry Family [Berberidaceae]

Flowers:
month8apr month8april month8may month8jun month8june

Berries: berryZpossible        berryZgreen berryZbluish berryZblack  (bluish-black, ovaloid, symmetric)
berry8Jul berry8July berry8Aug berry8Sep berry8Sept berry8Oct berry8nov

category
category8Shrubs
 
category
category8Evergreen
 
status
statusZneophyte
 
flower
flower8yellow
 
morph
morph8actino
 
petals
petalsZ5
 
type
typeZbell
 
stem
stem8round
 
stem
stem8spines stem8thorns
spines
contact
contactZlowish
 
sex
sexZbisexual
 

13th May 2010, Bolton Rd, Walkden, gtr M/cr. Photo: © RWD
Grows up to 3m in height, taller than most other Barberies.


13th May 2010, Bolton Rd, Walkden, gtr M/cr. Photo: © RWD
Flowers a deeper yellow than most other Barberries apart from the orange-yellow of Darwin's Barberry.


13th May 2010, Bolton Rd, Walkden, gtr M/cr. Photo: © RWD
Golden yellow flowers in a loose fascicle or short raceme.


13th May 2010, Bolton Rd, Walkden, gtr M/cr. Photo: © RWD
Leaves matt, older ones scarcely glossy.


13th May 2010, Bolton Rd, Walkden, gtr M/cr. Photo: © RWD
Flowers may have slightly longer and straighter petals than other Barberries. Both the 5 sepals and the 5 petals are concolorous.


13th May 2010, Bolton Rd, Walkden, gtr M/cr. Photo: © RWD
Leaves very narrow in relation to length, almost like those of Yew but of lighter hue. They have an in-rolled margin (revolute - not dis-similar to those of Bog Rosemary) and lack any sort of teeth (entire), but they do have a short spicule at the tip.


13th May 2010, Bolton Rd, Walkden, gtr M/cr. Photo: © RWD
The short spinose tips of the leaves.


13th May 2010, Bolton Rd, Walkden, gtr M/cr. Photo: © RWD
Twig spines mostly 3-partite and not as long as those of Barberry.


13th May 2010, Bolton Rd, Walkden, gtr M/cr. Photo: © RWD
Some spines are only 2-partite, or even single.


13th May 2010, Bolton Rd, Walkden, gtr M/cr. Photo: © RWD
Young stems are reddish, so too their spines (centre)


Is the Hybrid between : Darwin's Barberry (Berberis darwinii) and a Barberry that does not grow wild in the UK variously called Crow Barberry or Golden Barberry (Berberis empetrifolia) which has flowers with an even deeper shade of yellow bordering on orange, but the same blue-black coloured berries and similarly very narrow leaves.

This is a hybrid and mainly a garden plant planted for hedges in the UK and which can escape, although you are much more likely to find it in a garden or as hedging by roads or other municipal areas.

Uniquely identifiable characteristics

Distinguishing Feature : The Barberry with the narrowest leaves extant in the UK.

A yellow dye can be extracted from the roots and bark. See Barberry.


  Berberis × stenophylla  ⇐ Global Aspect ⇒ Berberidaceae  

Distribution
 family8Barberry family8Berberidaceae
 BSBI maps
genus8Berberis
Berberis
(Barberry)

HEDGE BARBERRY

Berberis × stenophylla

Barberry Family [Berberidaceae]