Berberis x carminea

Ahrendt

Berberidaceae Edible: Fruit 1 iNaturalist observations

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Summary

A deciduous hybrid shrub growing to 2 m tall and wide at a medium rate, hardy to UK zone 6. Seeds ripen September to November. Hermaphroditic, insect-pollinated, and self-fertile with wildlife-attracting properties. Tolerates light sandy, medium loamy, and heavy clay soils including poor nutritional conditions and very alkaline pH. Grows in semi-shade or full sun, adapts to moist soil, and tolerates maritime exposure.

Description

This is a hybrid between Berberis aggregata and Berberis wilsoniae. It is a shrub. It grows 1.5 m high and spreads 2.4 m across. The leaves are egg shaped. They are dull grey-green. Some kinds have spines and also bright green leaves. The flowers are yellow. They are in clusters of 10-16 flowers. The fruit are red or orange. They are in dense clusters.

Edible Uses

Edible Parts: Fruit Edible Uses: Fruit - raw or cooked. A pleasant though strongly acid flavour, it goes well in a muesli. Most children, and a few adults, really like the fruit raw, but in general most people will prefer to cook it. The fruits are about 10mm in diameter.

Medicinal Uses

Antibacterial Antitumor 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 warm temperate plant. It suits hardiness zones 6-9.

Where It Grows

Australia*,

Cultivation

Prefers a warm moist loamy soil and light shade but it is by no means fastidious, succeeding in thin, dry and shallow soils. Grows well in heavy clay soils. Grows well on chalky soils. Plants are hardy to about -15°c. A very ornamental plant, there are several named varieties. The cultivar 'Buccaneer' bears very large crops of large fruits, even on small plants. A good bee plant, the flowers are very fragrant. Plants can be pruned back quite severely, they 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. This plant does not breed true from seed because it is a hybrid species. 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. Suckers, removed in late autumn/early winter and planted out in situ or potted up and planted out in late spring.

Other Uses

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

Notes

There are about 450-500 Berberis species.

Synonyms

A hybrid between Berberis aggregata and Berberis wilsoniae

Also Known As

Berberis × rubrostilla

References (4)

Cundall, P., (ed.), 2004, Gardening Australia: flora: the gardener's bible. ABC Books. p 229
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
J. Roy. Hort. Soc. 1942:44. 1942
Plants for a Future database, The Field, Penpol, Lostwithiel, Cornwall, PL22 0NG, UK. http://www.scs.leeds.ac.uk/pfaf/