Berberis thunbergii, a
deciduous shrub inhabiting forest edges or uncultivated fields in
mountainous regions, making up flat ball-forms, grow to as tall as 2
meters. Branches are red-brown, with steep ditches, ridges, and one
to three 7-10 mm-long prickles at nodes. Leaves are alternate,
blades 1-5cm-long, 5-15mm wide, obovate to oblong, tips sharp, bases
tapering to petioles, with entire margins. Flowers, 2-4 in number,
are yellow-green, about 6mm wide, and hang down from branch tips;
sepals are as large as petals, so they look like petals. Sap fruit,
oblong, 7-10mm in length, mature in red in October-November. Bloom
time: April. |