Barberry - Berberis vulgaris

Densely branched, spiny, deciduous shrub 1.5 to 3 metres tall with yellowish ridged twigs. Spines three forked. Leaves oval, finely spine edged. Flowers bright yellow, 6 to 8 mm in pendant racemes.

Hedgerows, waste ground, scrub.

Flowering May and June.

Perennial. Was widely grubbed out in the 19th century as it was believed to harbour a rust fungus that infected crops.

Widespread throughout Britain, though native it is also found as an escape from planted stock.

Occasional in Leicestershire and Rutland. In the 1979 Flora survey of Leicestershire it was found in 20 of the 617 tetrads.