Berberis vulgaris

Life-forms

Classification System: APG IV

Superregnum: Eukaryota
Regnum: Plantae
Cladus: Angiosperms
Cladus: Eudicots
Ordo: Ranunculales

Familia: Berberidaceae
Subfamilia: Berberidoideae
Genus: Berberis
Species: Berberis vulgaris
Subspecies: B. v. subsp. orientalis – B. v. subsp. vulgaris
Name

Berberis vulgaris L.
References

Linnaeus, C. 1753. Species Plantarum. Tomus I: 330. Reference page. (type species)

Links

Hassler, M. 2019. Berberis vulgaris. World Plants: Synonymic Checklists of the Vascular Plants of the World In: Roskovh, Y., Abucay, L., Orrell, T., Nicolson, D., Bailly, N., Kirk, P., Bourgoin, T., DeWalt, R.E., Decock, W., De Wever, A., Nieukerken, E. van, Zarucchi, J. & Penev, L., eds. 2019. Species 2000 & ITIS Catalogue of Life. Published on the internet. Accessed: 2019 Apr. 19. Reference page.
International Plant Names Index. 2019. Berberis vulgaris. Published online. Accessed: Apr. 19 2019.
The Plant List 2013. Berberis vulgaris in The Plant List Version 1.1. Published on the internet. Accessed: 2019 Apr. 19.
Tropicos.org 2019. Berberis vulgaris. Missouri Botanical Garden. Published on the internet. Accessed: 2019 Apr. 19.
USDA, ARS, Germplasm Resources Information Network. Berberis vulgaris in the Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN), U.S. Department of Agriculture Agricultural Research Service.

Vernacular names
العربية: شجيرة البرباريس
azərbaycanca: Adi zirinc
беларуская: Барбарыс звычайны
български: Обикновен кисел трън
català: Coralet
kaszëbsczi: Zwëczajnô słowiczëna
čeština: Dřišťál obecný
Cymraeg: Pren melyn
dansk: Almindelig Berberis
Deutsch: Gewöhnliche Berberitze
Ελληνικά: Βερβερίς η κοινή
English: Common Barberry
Esperanto: Ordinara berberiso
español: Escabrión
eesti: Harilik kukerpuu
فارسی: زرشک معمولی
suomi: Ruostehappomarja
français: Épine-vinette
Gaeilge: Barbróg
galego: Arleira
Gaelg: Barbrag
hrvatski: Obična žutika
hornjoserbsce: Wšědna kisyca
magyar: Sóskaborbolya
հայերեն: Ծորենի սովորական
italiano: Crespino comune
日本語: セイヨウメギ
қазақша: Кәдімгі бөріқарақат
кыргызча: Ысырык
lietuvių: Paprastasis raugerškis
latviešu: Parastā bārbele
македонски: Кисел трн
Nederlands: Zuurbes
norsk: Berberis
polski: Berberys zwyczajny
română: Dracilă
русский: Барбарис обыкновенный
srpskohrvatski / српскохрватски: Žutika
slovenčina: Dráč obyčajný
slovenščina: Navadni češmin
српски / srpski: Шимширика
svenska: Berberis
తెలుగు: ఎరుపుమణిచెట్టు
Türkçe: Adi kadıntuzluğu
татарча/tatarça: Гади бүре карлыганы
українська: Барбарис звичайний
oʻzbekcha/ўзбекча: Zirk
vèneto: Grendene
walon: Bwès Sint Djuråd
中文: 刺檗

Berberis vulgaris, also known as common barberry,[3] European barberry or simply barberry, is a shrub in the genus Berberis. It produces edible but sharply acidic berries, which people in many countries eat as a tart and refreshing fruit.

The shrub is native to central and southern Europe, northwest Africa and western Asia;[4] it is also naturalised in northern Europe, including the British Isles and Scandinavia, and North America. In the United States and Canada, it has become established in the wild over an area from Nova Scotia to Nebraska, with additional populations in Colorado, Idaho, Washington state, Montana, and British Columbia.[5] Although not naturalised, in rural New Zealand it has been widely cultivated as a hedge on farms. It is cultivated for its fruits in many countries.

Description

It is a deciduous shrub growing up to 4 metres (13 ft) high. The leaves are small oval, 2–5 centimetres (0.79–1.97 in) long and 1–2 centimetres (0.39–0.79 in) 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 millimetres (0.16–0.24 in) across, produced on 3–6 centimetres (1.2–2.4 in) long panicles in late spring. The fruit is an oblong red berry 7–10 millimetres (0.28–0.39 in) long and 3–5 millimetres (0.12–0.20 in) broad, ripening in late summer or autumn; they are edible but sour.

Leaves

Flowers

Fruit

Culinary uses
Dried barberries

The berries are edible[6] and rich in vitamin C, though with a very sharp flavor; the thorny shrubs make harvesting them difficult, so in most places, they are not widely consumed. They are an important food for many small birds, which disperse the seeds in their droppings.

In Europe, the berries have been traditionally used as an ingredient in making jam. The berries are high in pectin which makes the jam congeal as it cools after having been boiled. In southwestern Asia, especially Iran, the berries are used for cooking, as well as for jam-making. In Iran, barberries are commonly used as a currant in rice pilaf.

زرشک zerešk is the Persian name for the dried fruit of Berberis spp., particularly also that of Berberis integerrima called زرشک بی‌دانه zerešk bi-dâne, literally “seedless barberry”,[7] which is widely cultivated in Iran. Iran is the largest producer of zerešk.

The South Khorasan province in Iran is the main area of zerešk and saffron production in the world, especially around Birjand and Qaen. About 85% of production is in Qaen and about 15% in Birjand. There is evidence of cultivation of seedless barberry in South Khorasan two hundred years ago.[8] A garden of zerešk is called زرشکستان zerešk-estân. Zerešk is widely used in cooking, imparting a tart flavor to chicken dishes. It is usually cooked with rice, called زرشک پلو zerešk polo, and provides a nice meal with chicken.
Other uses
Barberry hedge in early springtime in Croatia

The plant has been widely cultivated for hedges in New Zealand.[9] Berberis vulgaris (European barberry) is the alternate host species of the wheat rust fungus (Puccinia graminis f. sp. tritici), a grass-infecting rust fungus that is a serious fungal disease of wheat and related grains. For this reason, cultivation of B. vulgaris is prohibited in Canada[10] and some areas of the United States (Connecticut, Massachusetts, Michigan, New Hampshire[3]).

Salishan people have used "barberry" to treat acne in their traditional medicine, although bark of the native M. aquifolium (formerly B. aquifolium, Oregon grape) and other Mahonia species was used.[11] Native American Indians used the roots or berries as a general herbal tonic to stimulate appetite.[12] A decoction of the plant has been used as a folk medicine to treat gastrointestinal ailments and coughs,[13] although its use has been limited due to the bitter taste of the bark and root.[14][15]
See also

Berberis microphylla, calafate (a related shrub with similar berries, native in temperate South America)

References

1885 illustration from Prof. Dr. Otto Wilhelm Thomé Flora von Deutschland, Österreich und der Schweiz 1885, Gera, Germany
The Plant List
"Berberis vulgaris". Natural Resources Conservation Service PLANTS Database. USDA. Retrieved 24 March 2016.
Altervista Flora Italiana, Crespino comune, Sowberry, Common Barberry, vinettier, espino cambrón, Sauerdorn, Berberis vulgaris L. includes photos, drawings, and European distribution map
Flora of North America vol 3
Elias, Thomas S.; Dykeman, Peter A. (2009) [1982]. Edible Wild Plants: A North American Field Guide to Over 200 Natural Foods. New York: Sterling. p. 219. ISBN 978-1-4027-6715-9. OCLC 244766414.
Alemardan, Ali; Asadi, Wahab; Rezaei, Mehdi; Tabrizi, Leila; Mohammadi, Siavash (2013). "Cultivation of Iranian seedless barberry (Berberis integerrima 'Bidaneh'): A medicinal shrub". Industrial Crops and Products. 50: 276–87. doi:10.1016/j.indcrop.2013.07.061.
Tehranifar, A. (2003). "Barberry Growing in Iran". In Lee, J-M.; Zhang, D. (eds.). XXVI International Horticultural Congress: Asian Plants with Unique Horticultural Potential: Genetic Resources, Cultural Practices, and Utilization. ISHS Acta Horticulturae 620. pp. 193–5. ISBN 978-90-66054-00-4.
Popay, Ian; Champion, Paul; James, Trevor, eds. (2010). "Berberis glaucocarpa barberry". An Illustrated Guide to Common Weeds of New Zealand (3rd ed.). Christchurch: New Zealand Plant Protection Society. ISBN 978-0-473-16285-6.[page needed]
"D-01-04: Plant protection import and domestic movement requirements for barberry (Berberis, Mahoberberis and Mahonia spp.) under the Canadian Barberry Certification Program". 3 April 2012. Archived from the original on 2 April 2015. Retrieved 7 March 2015.
Turner, NJ; Hebda, RJ (1990). "Contemporary use of bark for medicine by two Salishan native elders of southeast Vancouver Island, Canada". Journal of Ethnopharmacology. 29 (1): 59–72. doi:10.1016/0378-8741(90)90098-e. PMID 2345461.
Foster, S; Tyler, VE (1999). Tyler's Honest Herbal (4th ed.). Binghamton, NY: Haworth Press. ISBN 9781136745010.
Schauenberg, P; Paris, F (1977). Guide to Medicinal Plants. New Canaan, CT: Keats Publishing, Inc.
Duke, JA (1985). Handbook of Medicinal Herbs. Boca Raton, Florida: CRC Press.
Hartwell, JL (1971). "Plants used against cancer. A survey". Lloydia. 34 (4): 386–425. PMID 5173435.