Berberis vulgaris L.

Common barberry, barberry, berbery, European barberry, jaundice-berry, pipperidge bush

The shrub is native to central and southern Europe, northwest Africa and western Asia. It has become naturalised in northern Europe, including the British Isles and Scandinavia, and North America. Both this species and Japanese barberry, a Japanese relative, were imported, used as ornamental shrubs and, because of their thorns, natural fences. Both escaped cultivation, but the Japanese variety is aggressive and often considered invasive.

Plants: Shrubs are 3–9½′ (1–3 m) in height, with grooved stems.

Leaves: Oval, ¾–1¾ ⨉ ⅜–¾″ (2–5 ⨉ 1–2 cm), finely toothed, in clusters that include a spine ⅛–¼″ (3–8 mm) long and 2-5 leaves.

Flowers: Yellow, ⅛–3/16″ (4–6 mm) across, in panicles 1–2″ (3–6 cm) long.

Fruits: Berries are bright red, with a distinctive oval shape, ¼–⅜″ (7–10 mm) long and 1/16–3/16″ (3–5 mm) in diameter, hanging in tight clusters.

Habitats: Anthropogenic (man-made or disturbed habitats), forest edges, forests, meadows and fields.

Edibility: Berries are very sour, and hard to harvest because of the spines, but, when combined with sugar, may be used to create a deep ruby red jelly traditionally used to accompany meat dishes. The berries have natural pectin, which causes the boiled mixture to gel; they are also rich in vitamin C. They are best harvested after a freeze. Japanese barberry, more common in most places, has similar-appearing berries that do not make good jelly. Leaves and root bark of both species are mildly poisonous, principally due to berberine.

Similar barberry species.

Online References:

 

Berberis vulgaris description by Thomas H. Kent, not updated.

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