Berberis calliantha
Mullig.
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Wikimedia Commons - peganum from Small Dole, England
wikimedia· cc-by-sa
Wikimedia Commons - peganum from Small Dole, England
Summary
Compact evergreen shrub reaching only 0.7 m tall, hardy to UK zone 7. Flowers from May to June with hermaphroditic, self-fertile blooms. Tolerates light sandy, medium loamy, and heavy clay soils including poor conditions. Adapts to mildly acid, neutral, or basic soils. Grows in semi-shade or full sun with dry or moist soil preference.
Description
An evergreen shrub. It is a dense bush that grows 75 cm high and spreads 90 cm wide. The leaves are holly like with teeth along the edge. There are spines at the end of each point. The leaves are 6 cm long. They are dark green above and white underneath. The new shoots are red. The flowers are yellow and occur singly. They are 25 mm across. They grow in the axils of the upper leaves. The fruit is blue-black when ripe.
Edible Uses
Edible Parts: Fruit Edible Uses: Fruit - raw or cooked. An acid flavour.
Medicinal Uses
Antibacterial Cancer Dysentery Berberine, universally present in rhizomes of Berberis species, has marked antibacterial effects. Since it is not appreciably absorbed by the body, it is used orally in the treatment of various enteric infections, especially bacterial dysentery. It should not be used with Glycyrrhiza species (Liquorice) because this nullifies the effects of the berberine. Berberine has also shown antitumour activity.
Distribution
It is a temperate plant. It suits hardiness zones 4-9.
Where It Grows
Asia, Australia, China, Himalayas, Tibet,
Cultivation
Prefers a warm moist loamy soil and light shade but it is by no means fastidious, succeeding in thin, dry and shallow soils and in full sun. Grows well in heavy clay soils. Hybridizes freely with other members of this genus. Plants can be pruned back quite severely and resprout well from the base.
Propagation
Seed - best sown as soon as it is ripe in a cold frame, when it should germinate in late winter or early spring. Seed from over-ripe fruit will take longer to germinate, whilst stored seed may require cold stratification and should be sown in a cold frame as early in the year as possible. The seedlings are subject to damping off, so should be kept well ventilated. When the seedlings are large enough to handle, prick them out into individual pots and grow them on in a cold frame. If growth is sufficient, it can be possible to plant them out into their permanent positions in the autumn, but generally it is best to leave them in the cold frame for the winter and plant them out in late spring or early summer of the following year. Cuttings of half-ripe wood, July/August in a frame. Roots in 4 - 8 weeks. Pot up in spring. Cuttings of mature wood of the current season's growth, preferably with a heel, October/November in a frame.
Other Uses
None known Special Uses
Notes
There are about 450-500 Berberis species.
References (2)
- Etherington, K., & Imwold, D., (Eds), 2001, Botanica's Trees & Shrubs. The illustrated A-Z of over 8500 trees and shrubs. Random House, Australia. p 123
- Plants for a Future database, The Field, Penpol, Lostwithiel, Cornwall, PL22 0NG, UK. http://www.scs.leeds.ac.uk/pfaf/
