Berberis canadensis

Berberis canadensis, commonly known as the American barberry or Allegheny barberry, is a member of the family Berberidaceae native to the eastern United States.

Description

A shrub. It grows 1.8 m high. The branches are purple or brown. The leaves have wide teeth. The leaves are 7.5 cm long. There a thorns with 3 prongs. The flowers are yellow. The fruit are red berries. The fruit are 9 mm wide.

Edible Uses

Edible Parts: Flowers Fruit Leaves Edible Uses: Fruit - raw or cooked. Agreeably acid, they are an acceptable raw fruit in small quantities but are more commonly used in preserves[177, K]. The fruits are about 9mm long. Leaves - raw. A trailside nibble. Flowers. No more details.

Traditional Uses

The fruit are acidic. They are used in preserves or cooked desserts. A few leaves can be eaten fresh or added to salads.

This uses section is brief — help expand it

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. A tea made from the roots is used in the treatment of fevers and diarrhoea.

Distribution

It is a temperate plant. It will grow in most soils. It is cold hardy. It can grow in sun or light shade. It cannot tolerate waterlogging. It suits hardiness zones 4-8.

Where It Grows

Canada, North America*, USA,

Cultivation

Prefers a warm moist loamy soil but is by no means fastidious, succeeding in thin, dry and shallow soils. Grows well in heavy clay soils. Succeeds in full sun or light shade. The plant is an alternate host of 'black stem rust' of cereals and so it is often grubbed out when growing wild in cereal-producing areas. 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. Cuttings of mature wood of the current season's growth, preferably with a heel, October/November in a frame.

Other Uses

Dye A yellow dye is obtained from the root. Special Uses Food Forest

Notes

There are about 450-500 Berberis species.

Synonyms

References (11)

• Beckstrom-Sternberg, Stephen M., and James A. Duke. "The Foodplant Database." http://probe.nalusda.gov:8300/cgi-bin/browse/foodplantdb.(ACEDB version 4.0 - data version July 1994)
• Gard. dict. ed. 8: Berberis no. 2. 1768
• Hedrick, U.P., 1919, (Ed.), Sturtevant's edible plants of the world. p 98
• Elias, T.S. & Dykeman P.A., 1990, Edible Wild Plants. A North American Field guide. Sterling, New York p 219
• Jackes, D. A., Edible Forest Gardens

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