Berberis thunbergii, a
deciduous shrub inhabiting forest edges or uncultivated fields in
mountain regions, making up flat ball-forms, grow to as tall as 2
meters. Branches are red-brown, with steep ditches and 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, 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. |